El Mañana
by silverspacechameleon
Summary: James Buchanan Barnes was on a hell path for revenge and answers. The girl with the impossible dark eyes being held prisoner by HYDRA was an unexpected reunion, unexpected being he didn't remember her. Will he trust her to help him recall his past or is she another clever manipulation of HYDRA. Bucky X OC. Rated M for language and Smut. Somewhat Sequel to The Abridged Meeting.
1. Grandma Beat Box's

**Can't believe I am finally released the Bucky fanfiction, whoot whoot. Hope you guys like the first chapter, things are about to get very interesting after this one. A lot of familair characters will be showing up, including a few from the Marvel comics that are most beloved. This is set just after the Winter Soldier. Please rate and comment, I really what to know what you guys think and the reviews really do keep me going ^^. Hope you like the cover :D, worked hard on that.**

 **xx**

 **SSC**

* * *

 _I saw that day,_  
 _Lost my mind_  
 _Lord, I'm fine_  
 _Maybe in time_  
 _You'll want to be mine_

Kevin didn't expect to be playing Jenga on his carpet with the Human Torch and The Tempest, on his 33rd birthday. Yet he was and he wasn't complaining, he need a chance to feel young again, it wasn't exactly skiing down a snow covered hill, but he did something similar to that a few months ago, before the collapse of SHIELD.

Now he spent most of his days hunting down possible leads, but they were mainly fruitless and Elise saw how the disappointing turn outs were taking a toll on him. Naturally, as his best friend, she decided to surprise him by throwing a small party at Kevin's former apartment in New York. He managed to get it back from his friend Marcel who had been subletting it. He was happy to return to the city again. He didn't exactly have a plan in his future but it was still good to be home.

Kevin was pleased by the get together, he didn't want to see too many people he didn't want to exactly be celebrating another year without his sister. Elise and Johnny were determined to keep his mind off of it and instead decided to keep him on edge, by playing the entertaining game.

His apartment was a small studio one. The door opened up into a short corridor, on the right was a open entrance to his compact kitchen with a stove, fridge and two sets of cupboards and drawers. It was a tight place but perfect for just one person. On the left was the door to the toilet which he kept meticulously clean because he was a neat freak. The foyer branched out into the living space.

The living room consisted of one dark mahogany coffee table and one six seater leather couch on its left and facing it was a brown Lazy Boy. The furniture was neatly arranged on top of a white woolen, square rug that stood out against the wooden floor boards. Past the living room was his bed which was a Queen sized bed, covered in a navy blue sheet and complimented with grey pillows at the head of the bed.

The flat screen TV was on the wall facing the large couch and the opposing wall was his investigation wall. Everything he had tracked down on Isabelle was pasted on that wall in a organized scatter of paper clippings, drawings, pictures from when they were younger and names and numbers of possible leads. He had linked most of them in red string, except for one that did somewhat pan out, the one in blue string.

He ignored the wall as much as possible for Elise's sake and focused on enjoying the day, being himself, just for a few hours.

Being as delicate as possible, Kevin slowly pulled at the sharp edges of the wooden block as Elise and Johnny hovered anticipating, hoping he would fail. The tower wobbled a little and he immediately stilled, luckily it didn't topple over and he swiftly yanked the slab out of its alignment.

"Damn." Johnny cursed scowling at the birthday boy, disappointed by Kevin's win.

"Your turn hot shot." Kevin stated quite smug of his accomplishment. Johnny Storm rubbed his hand as if to warm them up, which seemed pretty unnecessary considering his ability to spontaneously catch on fire.

"I have the slickest fingers in the business." He gloated wiggling his digits.

"Right, babe?" He said directing a wink at his fiancé who sat on the rug beside him.

"Ew." Elise grimaced earning a pout from her husband-to-be. Kevin laughed at the banter but then a sudden ring of the door bell cut into his mirth. He was intrigued by this, he wasn't expecting anymore guests, maybe it was Reed and Susan to pay a few wishes.

"I'll get that." He announced not receiving much argument from the couple. He pushed onto his feet and then hurried out of the living room and down the short foyer and placed one handle on the door knob.

"Jenga!" Elise suddenly yelled out, startling Kevin. His head jerked around. Her cry was followed by the clatter of several wooden blocks hitting the rug.

"Oh come on."Johnny groaned exasperatedly while glaring down at the fallen tiles.

"Pay up Broil boy." Elise insisted flexing her fingers into her open palm. Johnny frowned and reluctantly pulled out a fifty dollar note from his pocket. He stared down at the money sadly, not looking forward to parting with it.

"Babe, how about I keep this money it's for the both of us." He suggested coyly.

"My ass, I am saving up for a trampoline." She snapped. Johnny 's large frame suddenly tilted to the side as if trying to see something past her. Perplexed by his actions Elise craned her neck around to glance over her shoulder.

"What are you staring at?" She demanded looking back at him with furrowed brows.

"Sorry you said ass and my attention immediately went there." He explained with a cheeky grin.

Her gaze narrowed but she bit the inside of her lip to suppress the urge to smile. Johnny spotted the slight deepening of her dimple and immediately knew and his grin widened.

"You are still not getting out on the bet." She insisted sternly.

"Aw babe." He pouted cozying up to her. Kevin rolled his eyes and turned his attention back to the door. He peeked out from the peephole and his heart skipped at beat the presence on the other side. He lowered his head, his palms sweating nervously. He chanced a glance back at his friends to make sure they were distracted, then slowly, he opened the door and slipped outside.

Valerie nervously brushed at the front of her short fringe. She couldn't stop fidgeting since the moment she arrived at his door and stood in front of it for a solid ten minutes, debating on whether or not to ring the doorbell. Her heart was pounding erratically at the prospect of seeing him. Sure she saw him occasionally, brief glances when she hid herself and he passed by on the street and she was unnoticed. He probably wouldn't be able to recognize her, physically she was a lot different to the girl he used to know, the girl that broke his heart.

 _He doesn't want to see you._ A cruel mocking tone voiced her deepest insecurities.

 _You are a lying sack of shit._

Valerie toughened her bravado and was determined to not listen to her thoughts. She convinced herself that she was doing the right thing, even if he didn't welcome her with open arms she had still found a lead, one he could most certainly use.

She rang the doorbell and waited, trembling in apprehension. She knew she could somewhat handle seeing Kevin. After all, she had been building herself up, forming herself into a better person and preparing herself for this moment. The rejection and humiliation aside, she longed to see him again and thanked that she found a solid excuse to. Maybe it would be big enough for him to forgive her.

She heard the heavy footfalls nearing the door, but then a sudden cry made a jolt of panic shoot straight to her head. There were more than two voices behind the door, one she immediately recognized to be Elise Adams.

 _Shit._ She cursed mentally. She berated herself for not preparing for the possibility of running into the Tempest, her former best friend and another person she had hurt, terribly. Fear and dread consumed her body and her first instincts was to run the other way, but then when the door opened, she knew it was too late.

Kevin Odell stared down at the female standing at the threshold of his door. Even though he knew she was there, posed a foot in front of him, dressed in a simple salmon pink t-shirt and black skinny jeans. He still couldn't make himself believe it. Valerie, she used to be someone he cared about deeply as a friend and more, but she crushed any hope he had for them being together when she slept with Jeremy. Elise's boyfriend at the time.

Valerie had simultaneously broken Elise's trust and Kevin's. He hadn't seen her since the time Elise got stabbed which was around five years ago. He had tried to move on since, but it wasn't easy, his heart still raced at the sight of her and he didn't know if it was annoyance or some stirrings from feelings long past.

She looked different, other than her short hair and new, casual style. She seemed smaller, more unsure of herself but the sparkle of mischief she used to carry in her emerald eyes had faded away. He didn't want to delude himself of the idea of her changing, maybe the years had made her a better person, maybe she found happiness in some way that changed her for the better, but he didn't want that hurt again.

"Hey Kev." She greeted nervously with a short wave of her hand. His body tensed at the sheepish grin she directed at him, she still managed to be cute even when she was unwelcome.

Kevin quickly shut the door behind him. She stepped back as he took a towering step towards her with one hand firmly clasping the handle.

"What are you doing here?" He demanded sternly. The glimmer of anticipation flickered to a look of hurt, clearly his tone had upset her. He clenched his jaw, determined not to show any form of repentance.

"First of all, Happy Birthday." She said smiling at him hoping to coax away the thickening tension. He was a little staggered by her words at first, but then his eyes narrows suspiciously.

"It's been five years and this is how you decided to come and fix things?" He demanded indignantly.

"I've been trying to fix myself first." She confessed contritely. He studied her and wished that he could believe her but there was no form of deceit in her eyes, but then again, she managed to keep Jeremy a secret for a long time.

"Right." He muttered lowering his gaze, unable to meet her woeful expression.

"I don't have time for this, I have some friends over." He said rather impatiently. She lowered her head, nodding solemnly. His heart lurched, a little remorseful of his dismissive tone. Kevin was raised to not be rude, especially to women, it was particular painful for him to act so cold, even if it was justified.

"You should come by another time." He suggested reluctantly, glancing at her.

Valerie was staring past him and at the door, she was chewing apprehensively at her lower lip before returning her attention back to him.

"Is she in there?" She asked, her voice soft and fretful.

"Yeah." He confirmed.

"So you better leave." He warned. Without waiting for a reply, Kevin turned away to step back into the apartment. He bit back the sigh of despair that begged to escape his lips. _So much for a calm day, stress-free day._

"I found her." Valeria abruptly announced, stilling his departure.

"It's small, but it's a lead." She added.

He turned to her, expression disgruntled and uncomprehending of whom she was referring to, but then when he saw the wide eyed eagerness in her gaze, he immediately knew.

"Are you sure?" He questioned, his heart raced with the same hope that crushed him so cruelly multiple times till he was still numb. Valerie grinned and nodded confidently.

"Yes, she has the famous Odell eyes." She said her eyes a light with excitement.

Kevin stared back, unsure of how to respond.

* * *

James Buchanan Barnes knew that if he came into contact with another environment below zero degrees in temperature, it would be too soon. Yet he was scaling Mt. Charteris.

He found the most discreet spot possible on the least guarded face of the mountain. He had shot a grappling hook up till it pierced the furthest mass of rock. He strapped on his harness, sat into it and began to ascend the mountain.

The face tight goggles he wore protected his sharp eyes from the frosty wind, ideally he would wear a mask, but not this time. He wanted them to remember the face that ended their lives. He hated the goggles though, the rubber protection threatened to suction out his eyeballs.

He bit down on the blunt end of his drop point knife as he climbed with a M4A1 strapped to the back of his leather vest. The rest of the short rage pistols he kept close to his belt and pants, easy to access and within reach.

The air grew thicker as he climbed and it was getting a little hard to breath. He took in deep, ragged breaths, his heart pounding and chest heavy at each ascend. He finally reached the landing of the mountain, closest to the top.

Pushing up on his powerful arms he pulled up on to the surface and then rolled out of the road and hide his body in the shadows. He had studied the blueprints he had stolen of the base. The building ran into the mountain, straight to the core. The only part that stuck out was a dome shaped concrete structure.

It had a twenty foot diameter and a square opening that led to a tunnel. The outer ring of the sphere was a litter of Pine trees, tall and stretching for the sky on their own mission to grow. Hydra men dressed in warm, grey white camouflage gear, strolled the outsides of the structure.

The Winter Soldier had been in the field long enough that he knew the security within the premises was what he had to worry about. The easiest thing would have been to bomb the place and leave unscathed but this was no ordinary base.

Mt Charteris had its own lab, holding cells, hanger and even its own pool with an attached gym. It was a hub for intelligence in the most remote area within North America. They had found away to mask their location from even the most powerful telepath.

His eyes narrowed dangerously. Probably not from a deadly assassin with a thirst for revenge. He had discovered that considering the location low number of staff, they operated under a thumb print system. He had obtained one of the hands of a doctors that used to visit the base on a regular basis. His main question was why was a Doctor Majoring in Psychiatry with an impressive resume in treating mutant abilities and people with severe mental disorders, be needed at a simple training base.

Hydra had a uncanny ability of hiding secrets beneath secrets and Bucky was planning unraveling every single one of them. SHIELD had already started the chain reaction, igniting the domino pattern of HYDRA's malicious activities in the past, he planned on seeing it through and maybe get some answers along the way.

The cameras were the tricky part, but he studied the blue prints well enough to know what to avoid. He had dressed out of his goggles and climbing gear and into a guard outfit which was a snug, overcoat a light grey blue camouflage colour with fur lining around its hood.

He made his way through the tunnels, careful not to linger around the scrutinizing cameras for long. He glanced at his wrist watch, he knew he had to get in and get out as stealthily as possible, even if he did managed to be spotted he had a window of fifteen minutes to escape the premises before the outer guards from the lower section of the mountain covered all his exits.

He racked his brain for the map he memorized, but it felt unnecessarily. Strolling through the grey boxed walls, he knew he had been here before. A shudder passed under his skin, the miserable chill in the air pierced his heart. His could hear the faint sounds of screams and murmuring voices echo beneath the cold cement. He had the sudden urge to turn and walk back out into the woods.

Forcing away his random restlessness, he prowled forward, trying to seem nonchalant but alert. His crystal blue eyes darted about the space. The long corridor branched out into a mess hall. It was deserted except for a female janitor dressed in a pale blue uniform, mopping up what looked like some spillage of pudding. He turned his attention and continued down. The second opening to his left was hall, filled with socializing agents.

He quickly brushed past unnoticed. He had a location in mind, really he did, but he had passed it three feet ago. His legs seemed to work on their own, leaded him down a path that was horrifyingly familiar.

 _What is this joint?_

He entered a prison, he could tell it was a housing facility of some sort from the metal doors and the square shaped window. He side stepped and peered into the closest one, it was empty, just a concrete bed with a raggedy mattress, a toilet seat in the corner with a sink. No window, no mirror, no sentimental attachments of any kind. In fact, all of the rooms were empty.

He turned into a bend, the coast was clear and he meandered on through, but then a bolt of fear struck his heart when he heard a deep commanding voice. A steel door swung open in a shrill creak and a figure was shoved forward. The person tripped on their legs at first and took a concerning long time to correct their footing. Bucky's breathing hitched and he his fingers itched for his weapon, but then the person spun around in his direction as if aware of his presence.

It was a woman. Her height, athletic build and mess of long, dull black her wasn't what grabbed his attention. It was her eyes. He had never seen such pitch black pair of irises, it was like staring into an endless abyss that had the power to haunt and drag down one's soul.

They had a sudden glint as if she recognized him and in the back of his head, he knew they had met before.

"Hey!" He was startled out of his thoughts by the guard that had a firm grip on the woman's elbow. He immediately released the female and pulled out his weapon before aiming the barrel at Bucky.

"Who the fuck are you?" He demanded.

Barnes's quick gaze shifted to the man, his hands twitched by his pocket knife. His hazed mind rapidly calculate his next move as the soldier scowled at him marveling over how Bucky had gotten past security.

Any plans he had suddenly crumbled when the woman ducked down and swept one long leg under the unsuspecting guard. The man fell face first to the floor and the woman took the chance and swiftly straddled the man's shoulder's between her thighs and snapped his neck before he could scream.

Bucky stared, startled by the lethal alacrity of it all.

He watched vigilantly as she slide down the fallen body, her locked wrists searching about his belt and finally pulling out a pair of tinkling keys. With one knee bent she unlocked her wrist, stood up and then unclasped the mask around jaw, revealing her face to him.

Hollow, high cheek bones, weary tired eyes and full, pale, lips. She was the epitome of a prisoner trapped without no access to sunlight or warmth. She stood in a flimsy, egg shell white shirt and matching ankle length pants. Her bare feet were no doubt freezing against the frigid clay floors.

Her onyx eyes narrowed on him for a moment as if trying to making sense of his presence, but gaze darted to the side before swiftly returning to him.

"Ten seconds." She whispered jerking her head to the side.

"What?" He demanded in a hushed tone.

"Ten seconds, Winters." She repeated amusement lining her voice."His buddy is going to appear from that bend cause these two are a pair of bros aren't you?" She directed the question down at the dead body.

"You jackass." She sneered and robbed the carcass of his drop point blade. Sure enough as she predicted, Bucky heard the sounded of heavy foot falls heading their way from the right. He quickly pressed his back against the wall and hid himself. Keeping his back planted to the wall, he secretly pulled out his knife and waited.

The man approached calling for his friend, hearing no reply he increased his pace which only brought him swiftly to his death.

Bucky grabbed the bleeding body before it hit the ground and gently lowered the mass of a man to the floor as to not make a sound.

"Ace." The woman's soft appraisal surprised him.

"Although I would have gone for the jugular." She mused, admiring his work. Bucky eyed the woman unsure of how to feel or what to say.

"This way." She urged, stepping over the fallen guard and continuing down the corridor. Bucky stood wavering on his spot, debating whether or not to follow the mysterious woman. His cynical mind warned him against it, he hardly knew the female yet she had an air of familiarity around him.

 _Winters._

His body relaxed when her nickname for him echoed in his mind. She knew who he was and he knew her. It was nagging him at the back of his mind but forcing himself only resulted in a throbbing ache that only seized when he averted his thoughts.

His heart thumped in anticipation, a real link to his past. The fact that he didn't remember her must have been purposeful, after all Hydra made sure he forgot the important people. But even so, his gut was telling him to be on guard around the woman. He just wished he knew why.

Hesitantly he pushed off the balls of his feet and hurried after the woman. They kept to the walls sliding against them until she stopped by the frame of a door. It was light grey in colour and there was no marker to indicate the room on the door.

She suddenly turned to him and their gazes met once more.

"Computer room is that way." She said pointing to door six feet ahead on the opposite side of the wall. He glanced at the direction she pointed to before quickly looking to her again.

"I need to make a quick stop at the valuables." She stated one hand already turning the silver door knob with her profile still turned to him. She pushed at the surface without even caring to see if there was anyone on the other side. Bucky felt a wave of panic at her recklessness but she continued to ramble in a carefree manner.

"I'll be back before you can say 'Grandma beat box's'." She announced and then slipped into the gap between the door and disappeared out of his sight.

Bucky observed the surveillance cameras while simultaneously hacking into their system. He downloaded all the files into his portable USB. He didn't have time to skim through the files, that he was saving for when he was within the safety of some dingy motel room.

He hurried out of the room and was startled to come face to face with the woman. Her onyx eyes took his breath away and not in the romantic sense. Her gaze scanned him curiously for a moment before spinning around and creeping down the corridor. He hobbled after her, his footfalls soft and balanced.

They arrived at the edge of the entrance to the hallway. They heard the chattering voices of the guards within the hall. Bucky stealthily scouted the opponents, they were around seven.

"Did you say it?"

Her questioned grabbed his attention.

"What?" He demanded oblivious to the content behind her inquiry.

"Grandma beat box's." She repeated. He didn't get a chance to voice out the disgruntled astonishment he expression on his square face, the guards had spotted them.

A fight was ignited when they blocked their path to the exit. He saw the flashes of recognition and fear in the eyes of his adversaries. they knew exactly who he was and what he was capable of and Bucky took full advantage of that dread. One by one challenged him, some dared to attack him from the back but he ducked, dodged and delivered quick blows that incapacitated his victims.

He was successful enough and managed to defeat his opponents in time, but his attention was grabbed by her. She was leaping into the air and aiming hard jabs and swiping under like a pro, her skill sets was very familiar. Even though her moves were slower and not as fluid, he knew in that moment, she was taught by him. He just didn't remember. He noted how she restricted the use of her right leg for kicks and instead focused on using her fists as weapons.

The guards had hard plastic sticks for weapons, which Bucky found odd. HYDRA was ideally a lot more brutal with the use of tasers, did they not possess any in this prison? He recalled that the enemies weren't scrambling to comunicate through their ear pieces. He glanced at one fallen form to realise she didn't carry one.

The mystery woman was panting, out of breath and struggled to defeat the last man standing. The man didn't attack and insteady, calculated his odds, his frantic gaze darted to Bucky and then he turned to run the other way. The winter solider pulled out his gun and fired a quick bullet straight through the back of the man's head. He fell face first, blood pooled out from beneath him.

Bucky chanced a glance at his wrist watch, he had less than a minute to escape before the bomb he activated set off. Without thinking twice he grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her along, racing down the tunnel. She lagged behind and tripped over her feet at one point but still tried her best to keep up.

He heard the uproarious boom behind him but he didn't dare look back and pushed on through until the light from the outside nearly blinded him.

* * *

The black smoke from the explosion continued to rise up into the skies. The heat brought him a little comfort in the freezing temperatures of Mount Charteris. But the cold was of no consequence to him. His interest was focused entirely on the HYDRA prisoner.

She was rummaging through the belongings of the guard she had killed. Her back was turned to him and she was hunched over, bare feet buried in the snow as her hands worked quickly. She dug out a gun, pocket knife, a drop point blade and a wallet and laid them out on the man's chest.

Satisfied she began to collect the items into her arms. Bucky was alerted and immediately trudged over to her ready to disarm her, only to be surprised when she raised the gun up by its handle to him. Confused, he carefully took the gun and tucked it into the holster next to his thigh.

She replaced the knife and rest of equipment back into the vest and then disrobed the carcass of the body armor. She then stood up, shrugged on the vest and zipped it up tightly from the front.

Bucky observed her scrawny form in just her tattered flimsy, prison clothes paired with the black vest. It was an odd contrast. Her mane of thick, desiccated black hair fell past her shoulders and to her mid back.

Finally she turned around to face him. She fixated her obsidian eyes on to him and simply absorbed his appearance with a unreadable expression.

"Why is your hair so long?" She demanded casually, the corner of her lips curved up in a taunting smile.

"Hydra couldn't afford scissors?"

Bucky stared flatly, unsure of how to answer that question.

She rolled her eyes and waved her hand in a dismissive gesture.

"Ignore that, it's not important, why are you here?" She questioned sternly.

He continued to gawk, disturbed by her question. She spoke so easily to him as if he knew who he was. Despite being the girl who had been haunting his dreams, he had no recollection of her name or any other details.

Seeing his internal struggled a sudden realization dawned on to her that made her strict features soften.

"You don't know who I am do you?" She asked her voice considerably quieter and uncertain.

"No." He retorted bluntly. She winced as if he had physically struck her.

"Ouch."She muttered under her breath. Bucky tensed, alarmed by the reaction he had caused. He mind was swamped in distress. It didn't make any sense, if she was important to him wouldn't he have known? Then again... He couldn't even remember Steve and he had been a significant part in his childhood.

He eyed her vigilantly. She had lowered her face, her lips held down in a deep frown. She seemed utterly dismayed by the facts. Bucky didn't know what to do, he was suddenly consumed with a instinct to reassure her, but the emotions troubled him.

Her attention abruptly shot up, her gaze narrowed fiercely at him.

"Why did you bust me out?"She demanded.

"I don't know." He confessed reluctantly.

The intensity in her eyes melted away and her expression became passive. She observed him with a jaded gaze.

"Well you seem to have everything figured out." She noted mockingly. Bucky was taken aback but he had no retort, she was after all stating the obvious.

She shot him one last look of reproach and then turned away. He stared indecisively as she began to walk away, heading for the trees. She wasn't looking back, he couldn't let this one lead to his past walk away.

"Where are you going?" He hollered, his voice echoed in the mountains. She stopped in acknowledgment.

"Shelter, Winters." She bit back bitterly. "In case you haven't noticed I am poorly dressed and walking in eight inches of snow."

* * *

Bucky tried to regulate his breathing, but he knew he was doing a much better job than the female that crept beside him. He still didn't know her name, but she treated their stealth approach towards the next Hydra camp below, like they had been doing this their entire lives.

She was struggling. Her body was trembling from the icy cold. Her lips were turning an alarming shade of blue. The coat she had robbed from the dead agent did not help her in the slightest, not when her feet were dragging along the snow.

However, she refused to show her weakness. Her expression was stoic and her eerie black eyes were narrowed a head, focused on the loitering guards by the steel doors.

"You can call me Jo by the way." She muttered to him, a white gust of air escaping her lips. Bucky's cautious gaze flickered to her, eyes narrowing.

"How do you know me?" He demanded.

"We worked on a few missions together plus uh.."She hesitated, glanced at him and then looked back to their targets. "You trained me along with a few other sleeper agents."

"When was this?"

"Nineteen ninety eight, I think." She mused pensively. "I was sixteen then and you were..."

She eyed him speculatively, her obsidian pupils sent the oddest chill down his spine.

"I honestly have no idea how old you are. You haven't aged a day since I last saw you...well." She pointed to his mane of brown tresses.

"Except for that ridiculous hair, which I am going to blame on budget cuts."

He frowned, the woman was too accustomed to mocking him.

"If you are a Hydra agent why were you a captive?" He grumbled in question. She smirked, raising one sardonic brown at him.

"Oh my God Karen, you can't just ask somebody why they are a captive." She gasped out dramatically, gaping at the air. His passive expression twisted to a look of complete bewilderment. Her mouth slanted up to a reckless grin, when he continued stare at her with the same disgruntled look, she quickly sobered.

"Former agent." She uttered after clearing her throat softly.

"Went on their black list after I killed a few of their agents and tried to infiltrate the main base." She explained, averting her gaze coolly back to the guards.

His tense posture relaxed a little. She was a traitor like he was, he didn't detect a lie in her voice or face, but it was still had to believe.

"Why were you trying to do that?" He questioned.

She stilled, her eyes narrowing, the twitch of emotion on her face was hard to deduce and it vanished as soon as it surfaced. She slowly turned her head back to him, her lips pressed to a thin tight line.

"How did you get out?" She demanded.

Bucky didn't like that she had disregarded his question, but she had answered more than he expected.

"Hydra has been unmade by Captain America." He announced.

"The blonde dude in tights?" She demanded in sheer shock. He nodded stiffly and her eyes widened into saucers.

"Didn't he die? How long was I in there?" She whispered the question as if mainly to herself. Her sharp gaze returned to him.

"What year is it?" She urged.

"Twenty fourteen." He answered.

Her jaw slackened, her shoulders sagged in disbelief.

"...Three years?" She mumbled.

"Three years..." She echoed, her voice barely above a sigh. She stared down at the ground, pale and horrified. Bucky eyed her uncertainly, worried that maybe was experiencing some sort of heart attack induced by the shock.

"Shit." She spat, the jaded expression she held was twisted in anger. Her dark eyes were flashing in a savage rage that simmered beneath the surface with the promise of something dark and dangerous.

"Now I'm pissed." She hissed and then slowly rose up from her crouching position. His eyes widened on instinct, startled at the possibility that they were noticed by the guards, and they were.

The lookouts were in the middle of a friendly chat and one of them spotted Jo emerging from the depth of the bushes. They immediately aimed their weapons at her and threatened to shoot. Bucky reached out and attempted to push her out of the way until a sharp ringing in his ears distracted him.

It was mild and had similar effects to vertigo, but seeing the guards fall onto their knees, cupping their ears and screaming, he knew he hadn't received the worst of it. He looked to Jo, expecting her to be affected by it but she wasn't standing where he spotted her, instead she was barreling towards one of the guards with just her fists for a weapon.

"You dickheads locked me up for three fucking years?!" She screamed in outrage before swiftly punching one of the kneeling men, groaning in pain, straight across the jaw. His head snapped to the side from the impact of her knuckles, blood spurted out of his mouth and Bucky was pretty sure he saw a flying tooth.

The second guard had recovered from the ringing and tried to attack her from behind. She planted her right foot on the ground and delivered a heavy round house kick straight to the man's chest. The heavy built male staggered back from the impact and a sharp, painful grunt escaped his lips. However he managed to wrap his gloved fingers around her boot and grip tightly. Jo knew exactly how to counter this and pushed off the leg on the ground and directed a agonizing kick to the man's chin.

His head jerked back as he fell flat on to the snow caked ground. Jo stood between the fallen men looking quite like a deranged mental asylum escape, determined to end all who crossed her path.

"I was going to go see the Escape To The Plastic Beach you assholes!" She cried out her voice cracking, on the edge of weeping. "YOU MADE ME MISS MY CHANCE TO SEE THE FUCKING GORILLAZ!"

"They... are... not even real!" The one on the left, spat out irritably. Blood dribbled down his chin that stained the virgin white snow. He was sneering up at Jo, snarling his the upper row of his teeth, showing a very visible gap his bleeding teeth.

"Fuck you!" She lashed out and tackled him to the floor.

Bucky stared, shocked and unsure of how to respond as he watched her punch the man again and again and again. It was brutal, he heard the sickening clash of bone meeting bone. Spatters of blood sprung into the air from each blow.

He felt compelled to stop her, urge her that it was enough but he was a little too mesmerized by the sight of the violence. It was more than just self defense or punishment for something the man had said that she obviously found insulting. It was a release of pent up frustration, pain, anger. Something she had been bottling for the longest time and had only just been unleashed.

After the longest time, she stopped and her arms dangled heavily by her side as if they were made of lead. Her knuckles were painted crimson, her body slumped and puffs of jagged white smoke escaped her lips.

Then, slowly, she rose to her feet, one leg at a time. She swayed a little even as she walked over the man, who Bucky doubted was breathing, even if he was, it was hard to tell. She was turned away and stared at the blue skies and over the landscape of mountains of Colorado.

Bucky hesitantly approached, his boots crunching against the ice. The sound of him nearing brought her out of her dazed thoughts. She turned to him with one hand on her right knee, her finger tips sinking around the round knee cap as if trying to massage away some ache.

"I can't even believe I lost three years to this fucking place." She grunted irritably, her expression a little pained. "They don't even have the chocolate pudding."

He continued to stare silently, she mistook his indifference to uncertainty.

"You know the one with the cups and actually looks like pudding and not that liquidized crap." She exclaimed while her fingers imitated the shape of a cup. He knew very well what a pudding cup was, he just couldn't believe that was her main concern in the moment. Maybe she was just dealing with her shock in a different manner.

"Fine, whatever." She sighed waving flicking her wrist dismissively. She bent forward, scooped up a large load of snow and began to cleanse her hands of the blood. They were still stained pink by the time she was done and trembling a little.

"I can get my own pudding cups now. I'm free bitches. Free as a fucking bird!" She yelled out with a wide victorious thrust of her arms. Bucky supposed it would have been grander if they were at the top of the mountain, sadly they were somewhere in the middle.

"I could really use a Twinkie right now." She announced and then shuffled past him. He stared after her, wondering whether to follow or leave her behind, but he was compelled to pursue her, he need to know more about their past.

 **Please Review x**


	2. No Chill

**Amaliesofie: Thank you so much! I cant wait to know what you think of this chapter ^^. I think Jo might be the most interesting character I've written ^^.**

 **Oddball: Sorry for not replying to that review, I did see it but I've gotten into the habit of replying via story so I forgot that it was the last chapter. Thank you so much for taking your time to review though it really means lot ^^. Haha Jo is fun to write and kudos on calling it ;) lets see what else you can predict. Natasha? Really? Wow thats a huge compliment thanks. Hopefully not too much I wouldn't want to look like I'm stealing Natasha haha. I hope you love her even more in this chapter! :).**

 **Eeep chapter 2.**

 **xx**

 **SSC**

* * *

They had managed to get back to the pickup truck with minimum qualms, other than the fact that the woman was freezing cold. The moment they lumbered into the vehicle, she blasted on the heater and pressed her shivering hands to the plastic flaps of air outlet, desperate for warmth.

He drove the vehicle down the rest of the mountain until they finally entered the little town of Burton. The place was relatively populated with men and women dressed in winter wear and walking about to tend to their tasks. The blue sky was partly cloudy that morning and Jo had her face planted to the window, gazing at the skies like she hadn't seen it in years, but then suddenly she shook her head and rubbed her hands through her face, as if trying to wipe away a sting in her eyes.

They finally arrived at the nearest grocery store. She jumped out confidently even though her odd dress up did catch a few curious glances from passing town folk. His interest was grabbed when she hesitated at the glass doors of the store and gazed about looking for something.

"What is it?" He demanded looking to her.

"They forced pills down my throat. I need to barf before they completely compromise my system." She announced and her focus honed in on a grim, white shed just beside the store. Bucky assumed it was a bathroom from the way she practically sprinted to the place. She barreled on into the ladies room and Bucky waited awkwardly unsure of whether to follow her or not.

He didn't trust her, despite her claims of knowing each other, she was once a member of Hydra. Someone he had trained, and everyone he had taught had been trying kill him ever since he went rogue. In a mild state of paranoia of her taking off on him, he pursued her into the lavatory. He eyed the four cubicles on his right and the sink area to his left, with their accompanied mirrors.

Luckily they were the only two people in the space. The sound of her lurching loudly from the furthest partition, drew his attention. He was a little concerned and approached, but the disgust kept him by the edge of the open door. He caught a glimpse of her, hunched and bent over the toilet seat.

After a few minutes he heard the sound of the flush, signaling the end of the stomach contents evacuation.

"Thank God for old management." Her voice echoed within the tiled walls of the public restroom. She exited the cubicle with a wide smile plastered on her face. She was staring down at a black burner phone in her hand.

"They had the phone I stashed here and my mint!" She exclaimed presenting a Mento's breath mint wrapped in her other hand. Bucky stared, continuingly bewildered by the odd woman. She unwrapped the mint, popped it into her mouth before beginning to dial on the phone.

He panicked and quickly swiped the phone out of her hand before she could press the dial button.

"Oi!" She protested insulted by his theft.

"Who are you trying to reach?" He demanded pinning her under a stern glare.

"A friend." She answered casually.

"Hydra?" He hissed.

"Former." She responded calmly.

"I don't trust you." He stated factually while gripping the device tightly in his hand.

"There for I don't trust your contact."

"Yah I get that from your watchful gaze." She bit back crossing her arms defensively over her chest. "As attractive as you are, shadowing me isn't all that fun when its paired with a stare that can burn a hole in my back."

His glowering expression softened a little, he didn't know if she was flirting with him or insulting him.

"I need to call Will, he has my stuff in storage." She exclaimed urgently.

"Later." He said concealing the phone in the back pocket of his jeans.

"I need answers first." He insisted.

"I need a thorough cleanup." She grumbled under her breath and tucked on the thick, brittle, clump of her hair.

"Let's compromise shall we?" She mused smiling at him in a way that was far too playful for his liking.

"Once we pick up some groceries and then get to the closest salon, then I shall tell you everything you need to know once I've received a lovely head massage."

"Maybe even a manicure." She mused after taking a quick glance at her pale nails with lines of dirt just under the cuticle.

"How do I know you are not leading me to a trap?" He asked, towering over her and demanding her attention. Her gaze moved steadily to him and she studied him with those dark eyes of hers. He felt exposed being targeted by her piercing eyes.

"I just got out of incarceration." She stated factually with a slight bitter lining to her words, it immediately jolted a inkling of sympathy from him.

"The only thing on my mind is food and hair cleansing products, exclusively in that order." She expressed fondly. "If you really believe it's a trap then don't follow me, I'm still getting my makeover."

She concluded and then turned before heading out of the restroom. He stared after her, bewildered and utterly conflicted.

He did follow her to a neighboring salon within the small town of Burton. He couldn't help but observe that the town seemed to have everything, which included extravagantly dressed hairstylists.

He entered the parlor, there was a bell that sounded at his entry yet no one glanced his way. The room was loud with local chatter and bustling beauticians. The air stank of hairspray, different floral perfumes and the strong stench of nail polish. His nose wrinkled, unaccustomed to such a hit of smells. His sharp gazes scouted about the room. it was a long corridor with singular mirrors on either side with either empty leather chairs or occupied ones. There was a waiting lounge to his right and his main insecurity was being noticed but the woman and men, hardly looked up from their magazines and newspapers.

He felt lost and extremely out of place in the room full of radiant people. He spotted her in his state of panic. She was seated at one of the cutting stations, one leg thrown over the other and seemingly in her element and sitting rather comfortably, waiting for someone to dote on her.

Bucky scowled and marched in her direction. She glanced up at him in acknowledgement and smiled. His frown deepened and he pulled up a nearby chair and dropped himself heavily on the seat before leaning back into the leather and pulling the flap of his cap, stubbornly over his face.

"It's good to get comfortable, Winters. We are going to be here a while." Jo suggested teasingly while reaching up to pick up one of the many magazines displayed under the mirror.

"This is a waste of time." He grumbled crossly while eyeing his surroundings with the same mistrustful gaze.

"It's funny how you were iced for so long and yet you still got no chill."

He was jolted by the coolly crafted insult and directed a hateful glare at Jo. She grinned quite pleased by the reaction she had caused. He was about to responded spitefully when a figure approached. It was a woman, five foot six with gravity defying hair, dyed with the entire colour spectrum of a rainbow. She was heavily build with a round face and dark skin. She was dressed in a long, burgundy, chiffon blouse that rounded her plump figure. She had paired her outfit with black pants and cream slippers.

"Damn girl." She breathed out in distress while toying with the ends of Jo's limp tresses.

"Ya hair is God awful." She stated painfully bluntly.

"Thanks." Jo dead-panned and directed her a look from the mirror.

"I like your earrings." She grumbled sardonically. The woman laughed quite amused by Jo's attitude. She began to run her thick fingers through the woman's hair, quite dismayed by all the tangles she felt along the way.

"Sorry hun but look at this." She complained, lifting a thick lock of her hair and examining the ends that were brittle and full of split ends. "It's like it's never seen the light of day. Did you crawl out of a hole or something?"

Bucky and Jo exchanged quick nervous glances and then a reflexive smile took over her face.

"Yes a hole." She was quick to confirm. "Not a icy cold prison if that's your second guess."

He silently rolled his eyes and slumped back into his chair, wishing she hadn't added that last bit of information making her vague lie extremely unconvincing.

"Mhmm." The stylist hummed disbelievingly. "Listen Suga, we don't judge your lifestyle choices, we just judge your appearance. Luckily you came to the best place. So what do you want hun?"

Jo immediately perked up under the woman's inquisitive gaze, she studied her own reflection while mulling on a decision. Bucky stared, somewhat curious himself.

"Well I am not a fan of the whole Jane Porter jungle queen look. My job requires me to...well...long hair is hard to wash afterwards." She explained. The woman nodded while listening intently.

"Basically I want it short but not too short. Like in a quick getaway there is enough hair to hide my face you know?"

"Mhmm yeah." The stylist continued to nod and then made a gesture over her shoulder to a female loitering by the hair cleaning area far behind them.

"But at the same time I want it to look fabulous all the time, all volume and shit." Jo continued to explain with wide motions of her hands to indicate the length had to be below her jaw line.

"Aw yeah like it wasn't just your skills that slayed the dude, but also your hair."

"Exactly." Jo exclaimed with a dramatic click of her fingers.

"Think I can pull it off?" She wondered while tilting her head from side to side, admiring her reflection.

"With these cheek bones? Hell yeah." The lady complimented earning a dimpled smile from Jo. Barnes gazed at her, for a brief moment of weakness he found her rather attractive with such a demure grin.

"Oooh while you are at it you should get those eyebrows done." The hairstylist suggested loudly, cutting Bucky out of his thoughts.

"No kidding, I look like Sandy Cohen and Frida Kahlo's love child." Jo stated and then cracked a smile at her own amusing observation. "On the plus side I would be witty and artistic."

"How long is this going to take?" Barnes demanded grimly.

"Doing the math in my head, I'll say a hour, hun. " The lady answered with a bright smile.

"Be right back." She announced and then headed off, no doubt to get the products ready for Jo's treatments.

"Pencil in a mani pedi too!" Jo yelled out after her, grabbing nearly all the gazes within the shop.

"We can't afford one hour." Bucky noted impatiently, his voice barely above a whisper.

"Relax Winters. Hydra isn't going to come looking for us at a hair salon. You are a perfect example of that." She said casting him a sly smile. "Speaking of, why don't you get a little snip, snip. They do men here."

"My hair helps disguise me." He defended stubbornly.

"Yeah, you got that whole homeless man thing going on." She observed waving her hand over him to gesture to his state of dishevelment.

"But isn't it going to be suspicious when I am all red carpet fabulous and you are walking beside me looking like a Planet Of The Apes reject?"

"How are you even going to pay for all this?" He demanded deciding to ignore her mockery. She grinned, glanced about suspiciously and then dumped a hefty wad of cash straight on to his lap. He stared, startled by the thick pile of dollar bills on his thigh and scrambled hide it under his jacket to avoid unwanted attention.

"Stole that hunka green from the base treasury." She stated proudly.

His eyes narrowed on her. The woman was eerily prepared, from the stashed phone to knowing all the locations in the town and to stealing a grand amount of money from her prison. It was all too meticulously planned, which made him wonder.

"Did you know this would happen?" He asked voicing his thoughts.

"Know what would happen?" She responded her attention had diverted back to the open magazine on her lap.

"That you would be imprisoned?" He added.

"Well I knew the chances were against me, after all I was up against Hydra." She murmured offhandedly, like it was no big deal. "There was a big chance I wouldn't make it back, but what I was sure they wouldn't do is kill me."

"Why is that?" He demanded, leaning forward and resting his elbows on this knees, curious to know about the strange power she possessed. Bucky was not ignorant to the gifted, he had come across a few in isolated cells within Hydra. Illegal experiments. He didn't know what had happened to them since.

"I have this ability that allows me to be a very resourceful agent to them." She began to explain, her voice was monotonous and uninterested, like she had been saying this story her whole life or her gifts had brought her nothing but heart ache.

"This sixth sense sort of, I can sense electromagnetic fields around me and not dead people." She grinned last minute and he figured she made another reference he did not understand.

"Like a radar?" He asked, perking up.

"Pretty much." She confirmed with a pensive tilting of her head. "It's awesome not to be afraid of being jumped because I can literally know what's going on behind me. The twenty first century is a digital world, everyone has some sort of device on them. This isn't my only ability though."

"What else can you do?" Bucky asked, continually marveled.

"I don't know how to explain it, I can compartmentalize my thoughts." She said uncertainly of the words that left her mouth. She focused on the magazine pages, her dark brows creased in thought.

"I didn't know this till I found out normal people don't think the way I do, apparently for everyone else it's just a lot of noise. I can calm it if I want to. I wanted to know more of course but I'd never tell the scientists at Hydra."

"Why was that?" He questioned. She chuckled either amused by his blunt inquiry or the innocence in it. He felt a little foolish, of course providing insight into a person's evolving power to HYDRA was like handing them the scalpel to be dissected.

"If they knew that their brainwashing was ineffective to another head. Their world would be in chaos. Well not that it's any better now, I am guessing that all the secrets are out. This makes our job a whole lot easier."

"What job?"

She slanted him a wicked grin, her dark eyes a gleam as she leaned in towards him.

"I am guessing from that guns blazing rodeo earlier, you came for blood, didn't you Winters?"

"Yes." He responded bluntly. She held his stern state burning with bridled rage, courageously. As if she had stared into the mouth of the lion plenty of times for her to no longer be afraid. She pressed back into the chair, the smirk still playing at her lips.

"Satisfied yet?" She asked.

"No." He grumbled.

"Good." She nodded.

Bucky wanted to ask more, other than her confinement at Hydra if she had a vendetta against them, something more personal, but he was robbed of a voice from the way she studied him. Trying to read him. He felt like she could see right through him, deep into his soul to find something she craved for.

However their eye contact was interrupted when the hairstylist appeared again and escorted her to the sink area. Jo gladly leaned back into the chair and tilted her head back as the woman gathered her black tresses into the ceramic bowl.

"Is the water too cold?" She asked while tentatively opening the tap.

"Not at all, your fingers are magic" Jo sighed as she ran her fingers through her wet strands under the pressure of the water.

"Don't I know it, what's your name anyway?" The odd haired, woman asked.

"Jo, short for Joanna." The former captive smiled. "You?"

"Petula but you can call me Pets."

"Well Pets, I'm leaving my looks to your capable hands."

"God, do you need it."

"Thanks, Pets." Jo scowled.

Bucky rolled his eyes and eased into his seat a little, he picked up the nearest magazine and decided to read it, something to pass the time. But he decided that if the woman wasn't done in a hour he was leaving.

Barnes didn't know how long he had been sitting in that chair but he was growing restless. He heard her from somewhere within the salon, cursing in pain. He was alerted at first but then she emerged with slightly reddish eyebrows and a passive expression. Her hair was wrapped up in a towel and she was brought over for her hair cut.

He listened to the sharp, clipping, sound of the scissors snipping away at her hair and watched the fall of the strands with a jaded gaze. He tried his best to occupy his mind with plotting the next base to attack. First he needed to gain access to a computer of some kind to go through the USB device, he considered finding a internet cafe but his eyelids felt heavy with fatigue, next thing he knew everything blurred out into black.

"Winters." Her gentle voice was like a distant call. It was soothing, enough to make him want to slip back into sleep.

"Oi Winters." Her tone was prim and he stirred awake. Bucky was laying in the chair, buried between the two arm rests. His tail bone was rested on the edge of the seat with the back of his skull on the head rest. His hand immediately flew up to his face to rub away the grogginess. He looked to his disturber from between the slits of his eyes.

She had transformed, looking different but somehow the same. Familiar. He gazed upon her dark, shapely brows down to her straight pristine nose. Her lips were twisted, he wanted to reach out and run the base of his thumb across the supple skin, he loved them soft, ripe for a kiss. Her smile, her smile was always dazzling.

"Jo?" He called dazedly.

The slight amusement in her twinkling eyes suddenly morphed to a look of wide eyed anticipation.

"Yeah?" She called softly, sounding hopeful.

 _I'll find a way._

A jolt of pain shot through his skull, immediately snapping him out of his fatigue powered dazed. He blinked several time and then shook his head, his lips twisted in a scowl at the return of his headache.

"Are you done?" He demanded gruffly, pushing up off the chair. Joanna's posture had suddenly straightened and her doe-eyed gaze was replaced by a stern look of nonchalance.

"Yeah I am." She grumbled shrugging on a leather jacket he hadn't seen before. She brought out her newly cropped head of hair from underneath the flaps of the jacket, not acknowledging him for a moment.

"Let's head out." She ordered and then strutted towards the exit not lingering for him to catch up. He was staring after her, perplexed. New, navy blue skinny jeans that hugged her athletic legs, a white band tee to pair with the jacket and a new black duffle bag? When on Earth did the woman go shopping?

* * *

"It's the best lead we got Kevin." Valerie explained as he continued to glare down at the photo in his hands. He hadn't stopped, not even when she had suggested heading to Skeeter's place where they were more likely to find out more on the subject.

"It's just a picture how are we even sure it is her?" He demanded after straining his attention away from the image. She rolled her eyes in exasperation while opening the front door to Skeeter's apartment.

"Can you not be so negative?" She countered lightly as he walked past her into the flat. "You haven't even seen it yet so you will have to decide."

"I don't know." He murmured suddenly unsure, studying the photo again. "She does resemble mom-I."

He hesitated afraid to share such an insight on the fear of it might be proven wrong. The woman in the picture did resemble his mom in her younger years, practically a splitting image of her, but he didn't want to believe it, not without proof.

"Where was this picture taken?" He asked looking to Valerie while following her further in, past the kitchen and to the living room.

"Near a town in Colorado, but this picture was taken a few days ago." Another voice answered for Valerie, from the bored drone he knew it was Skeeter. The hacker and animations specialist was hunched over his keyboard, typing away urgently even though his expression was utterly jaded. He carried that same stench of smoke and coffee around him like he always did, Kevin also got a slight whiff of cream cheese and hot bread.

"Who is the guy with her?" Kevin demanded pointing to the mysterious figure in the picture and gesturing the paper to them. Skeeter hardly glanced his way and continued to squint against the glare of the screen.

"We ran his face into every database and found nothing, the dude is a ghost." Skeeter answered.

"There is more to the story isn't there?" Valerie demanded grabbing his attention. "Things that you haven't told me."

"I told you all that I knew then." He uttered defensively. He didn't forget the days she had helped him, how could he forget, they were the memories that kept a faith for her alive inside of him. He hated it, he wanted to be able to despise her, but he couldn't. Valerie was someone he told most things to, she had taken his burdens. When he first found out about his sister and confronted his family, when he returned to New York broken by his father's cruelty. She was the one who listened to him and advised him and stood by him, he thought he could trust her. But all of it seemed like a blurry memory.

"But things are different now." Valerie added, her ominous words made his eyebrows crease in confusion.

"You need to see this." She suddenly announced and then nodded to Skeeter. He typed a quick instruction onto the computer and a window popped up, revealing a video. It was the same setting and people as the photo but moving. His eyes widened when the woman in question looked to the camera with her dark eyes and it began to shiver with static before disappearing completely.

"Does that wave away your doubts?" Valerie broke into the pregnant silence. Kevin's heart was racing in a sudden speed. Happiness began to bubble inside him, his gut was surprisingly calm as if agreeing with his mind's conclusion.

He knew it, it was her. Sure it might not be enough but Kevin had no doubt. He knew later on he would consider the fact that maybe he made a brash decision from a desperation but that would be insecurities. However in that moment, he knew it was her, his sister, his twin, alive.

"I can't believe it, Isabelle is alive!" He exclaimed in a excited whisper.

"Skeet tell me there is more to her." He pleaded, leaning down towards the system.

"It's like a flood man, the moment I updated her face onto the system it's like a nonstop parade, mainly from all of the SHEILD leaks." Skeeter explained a little irately, Kevin understood, there was a lot of information to process.

He grinned. This is good, knowledge, that's what I need to find her. For now he knew where she was and he wasn't going to leave one stone in Colorado, unturned. In his state of relief he took a while to realize that Skeeter was getting all the Intel from the former SHIELD files.

"Was she a agent of some sort? CIA?" Kevin voiced out loud, but his stomach turned into knot a foreboding feeling dried the glee within him.

"SHIELD knew about her?" Valerie demanded looking to him. He met her gaze and struggled to form an excuse.

"I didn't have a face for her, maybe they didn't know." He defended, not wanting to sink into the possibility that his former place of work had been keeping secrets from him. It was traumatizing considering most of the leads provided to him were from a friend at SHIELD.

"You gave a description right and considering their database on all this mutant you think they wouldn't know? Besides Skeet built this whole system around that sketch you had done." Valerie expressed gesturing to the three monitors as the two men listened keenly.

"Then they were clearly playing you."

Her blunt delivery hit him hard, but he refused to be effected.

"How did you know about the sketch?" He questioned crossing his bulky arms over his chest.

"I have my ways." She murmured flashing him a smug grin that stirred a desire in him that he had caged for a long time.

Her expression abruptly softened in sympathy.

"The decoy lead didn't pan out did it?" she asked. His body immediately tensed from the memory that resurfaced.

It was a few years ago the day Kevin discovered the truth about his sister. He had met her after her years at the Institute For Young Troubled Minds. One of his father's General buddies had courteously taken on Isabelle as a recruit in a military training program, according to Kevin's father at least. His father had served in the army, despite being a good soldier he wasn't a very pleasant man. He didn't have a kind bone in him and his demeanor had always been rather cold.

Kevin was twenty at time when his mother came rushing into his room and excitedly announced that Isabelle was coming to visit with General Williams. He swept up by the glee too, he wanted to see his sister again, ever since he left there was a unacknowledged emptiness in the house and his soul. He was all dressed and when they arrived he was stunned.

It was a woman that carried all of Isabelle's features, at least what she would have looked like in her twenties. Slim and athletic build behind a grey and white camouflage uniform. Her dark hair was neatly tucked under a cap that carried the same colours and she stood with her back straight and arms to the side in the most orderly fashion beside her commander.

They arrived into the house, sat down for tea. Kevin remember mom talked jittery, nervous of seeing her daughter again and hoping that she didn't hold any grudges. She had responded calmly, with a polite smile, but Kevin was studying her carefully. Something was off, it didn't feel like it was Isabelle. He pushed away his reservations, after all she had gone through a transformation he hadn't questioned it then, but a nagging feeling had always prickled on in his mind.

Kevin remembered all too well when the truth came to light. It was a seemingly normal night. He had just come out of a boxing session and was heading home but stopped at a nearby store to pick up a few groceries, when he spotted her, Isabelle. He was startled at first, she looked completely casual in a simple red t-shirt, jeans. He approached her and she was confused by him at first until he introduced himself, then she paled. Her body language shifted to being on guard, she was shifting nervously and smiling and nodding to whatever he said but Kevin knew something was wrong.

Then another man approached and addressed the woman as Rachel. Kevin assumed it was her boyfriend from the suspicious glance he sent Kevin's way and the protective manner of his touch to her. She laughed nervously and insisted that the man go to the cashier and she would be there shortly. She then explained to Kevin that she was under some mission and her cover couldn't be blown. He didn't believe her.

He went on a search and what he discovered made him nauseous. Her name was Rachel Featherstone a out of work actress. She has had no history of being in any training camp and when Kevin confronted her again his suspicions were proven.

She was hired to pretend to be his sister. Enraged he had confronted his father about it. The man had known the entire time and confessed to Kevin that he had only devised the plan in order to stop his mother from pleading him. Kevin was appalled by his father's actions and demanded to know where his sister was.

 _"That's classified, son." He had stated firmly when Kevin barged into his office. "Your sister is now the property of a organization that deals with law and order."_

 _"The fact that you said it was a organization tells me it has no ties to the government." Kevin growled through gritted teeth._

 _"Your sister and her kind could never be part of this nation, they can however help protect it. Isabelle will be doing something great with her life, but she is no longer apart of ours."_

 _"She didn't do anything wrong! She was just born that way you just sent her off to God only knows where to people who treat her like some wild animal than needs to be trained."_

 _"She is a danger and you know it."_

 _"It was an accident, she was protecting me!"_

 _"Then her skills will honed and be put to use."_

 _Kevin had stared at his father's grim face for the longest time, experiencing a multiple emotions. Disbelief, shock and rage._

 _"You are crazy!" He spat back vindictively._

 _"I am not going to just go along with this, I am going to find her." He avowed sparking animosity in his parent._

 _"I am warning you son. You don't want to be under the radar of these kinds of people and if they get to you then I can't help. It's bad enough I have to tolerate the fact that you hang out with those Fantastic Freaks."_

 _Kevin's whole body had tensed tighter than the skin of a drum. He was experiencing a terrifying amount of anger that he had difficulty suppressing it. His head began to throb from trying to keep his cool, he raised his gaze met his father dead in the eyes. He always hated it when his own father addressed his friends as if they were monsters, abominations. It was sickening._

 _"Considering my sister's circumstances I don't think I need your help." He grounded out and then turned away, deciding that being wrathful at his father was a wasted effort. He was going to let karma do its job._

 _"Good luck in hell, Dad." He said by the exit from his father's office. "I heard it's very hot all year long."_

He hadn't seen either of his parents since. Sure he checked in on his mother from time to time but he felt a little irritation towards her, like she should have done something and not play the victim all the time. After all, she knew his father better than anyone else.

Kevin met the Isabelle body double again after Steve Rogers gave him a idea. Rachel had seen a picture of Isabelle and Kevin got in touch with a artist friend of his to draw the person Rachel described. It was his only solid piece of evidence to work with, a face to his mysterious sister. He had given Stark a copy but there was no luck. Until now.

"No, but I think she might have misled me." He voiced one of his doubts. Compared to the art work, Isabelle didn't looked like a stranger."I need to speak to her again but she ran out of town since I last saw her."

"That's some weird conspiracy shit right there." Skeeter exclaimed passionately. "I mean who wants to hide a woman so badly that they hire someone to pretend to be her? That is messed up."

"Yeah, but I'm pretty sure it's about to get messier." Kevin grumbled feeling the wind of a pending storm. Something was seriously wrong. Where had she been this whole time? Why was there a piece of evidence now. He assumed it was because SHIELD and Hydra's secrets were out but it can't be all of it. He knew there was more to the story, some deep past.

"are you okay?" Valerie asked in genuine concern.

"Yeah." He shook his head dispelling the wave of brooding gloom he had created around himself.

"Thank you guy for this, I didn't-" He rubbed the back of his neck nervously. "I thought I was hitting dead end after dead end."

"Anything to help." Valerie grinned her emerald eyes glittering.

"We will get her back Kev." She promised.

He wished he could have believed her completely.

 **Please review**

 **xx**


	3. Twinkie

**_Jo: haha yes I know. I was going to tell you sometime during Abridged Meeting, but then i thought it would be a nicer surprise this way ;). Also thank you for reviewing the Johnny Storm story :D glad you loved it. I am particularly fond of that too :)._**

 ** _supesfan18: They will be coming soonish, but you do know its a Bucky Fanfic right?_**

 **Sorry this chapter is short, but I promise the next one will be longer. I've been so busy with my new work place, so much so I miss the fatigue inducing melancholy in the previous place xD. Anyway, enjoy!**

 **xx**

 **SSC**

* * *

Mistress B has been a lot of things in her lifetime. Thief, liar, adulteress, murderer and she wore all those titles like a badge of honor.

One in particular, Mutant and Proud.

She will admit it was hard to deal with knowing she had the ability to sprout tentacles, they weren't always at will. The first time her mutant gene was activate and the red, whipping limbs grew out of her back like some sort of alien horror movie. She was only thirteen at the time and she had screamed at the top of her lungs. Her devoted Catholic, parents barged into the room and stared horrified as the child and the demonic appendages that emerged.

 _ **Demon**_ her father had yelled and picked up the nearest object which was a baseball bat and attempted to hit one of the tentacles, but the moment the heavy wood made impact a bolt of unimaginable pain shot up her spine. She screamed again and in the next moment her father was flying across the room.

Things had escalated from there. Her parents had taken her to several experts on the devils cruel ways. They had tried to exorcise her, cut off the abomination. She had been called the devil so many times and slowly she began to accept that she was and it wasn't something she could change. When her parents attempted to kill her for her difference was when something in her had snapped. Survival instincts and something more malicious within her at taken control. She had killed her parents that night but instead of being consumed with self-loathing and guilt, she was relieved.

The relief spread through her like the calming waters of a clear, cool river. For the first time in a long time, she felt a moment of peace and the tentacles that were so irate and wild, sunk back into her body.

She learned control emotions were the key to taming the violent limbs, but there was freedom in accepting herself and not attempting to restrain who she was. They had become her clutch, several hands so to speak. They helped her rob, fight off threats. Sinning came as easy as breathing and she went down a spiraling, chaotic adventure of evil deeds.

She remembered the first time she met her. How utterly enticing she had found the woman with her glorious curves and calve length black hair. She radiated an air of confidence and B knew that was what first drew her in like moth to a flame. Lyuba, it meant love in Romany, something B took great pleasure in calling her, other than pleasuring her.

That part didn't come till a few months later. Lyuba came to her as a guidance, a angel sent to save her from her own destruction and show her there is more to life than chaos. She gave her a home, introduced her to people just like her, lost and different. B felt one with people, somewhere she belonged and taught skills she never knew she could possess.

Lyuba taught her how to change persona's on will, adapt several identities and use them to conceal into society, undetected. B discovered her gifted talent acting, she enjoyed the game, the lies she told and how convincing she was. When Lyuba thought she was ready she sent B undercover as Jessica Winterbone. She was provided a brief of her target, Aaron Fieffer. Head of Marketing at a established company. From the pictures the man carried the confidence and smile of a person well versed in charming people.

B admitted that the man was good looking but the idea of a seducing a man stunned her. Despite all the training in seduction she knew she couldn't bring herself to bed the man without feeling threatened or disgusted. Lyuba had assured her, kindly, that coaxing the man into a steady string of dates was all she required, initially anyway.

B was assured by that and her kindness, feeling confident she snuck into Lyuba's bed chambers that night. Lyuba had resisted first but B hadn't given her much of a choice, the heat between them was hard to ignore and B considered herself to be extremely persuasive.

B didn't really know what love was but she knew what she felt for Lyuba was stronger than anything else she had felt before. She never felt such loyalty to one human being, a great need to please. But something had shifted on the day SHIELD discovered where they were keeping the hostages.

B's jealousy over Lyuba's search for her former lover Francine didn't bother her any longer. Her mind and body was consumed with feelings of intense guilt and concern over one woman. Olivia Thorne.

Her fall played through her mind over and over again, kept her restless and on edge. Remorse wasn't something B had felt before. All her terrible deeds before that had felt justified, good, but hurting that web designer shook something deep within her core.

B has never been very good at dealing with her emotions so naturally she had lashed out on whatever she could in order to feel better. Her random outbursts towards the other mutants that were housed under Lyuba's care did not sit silently (despite being terrified). She knew she would be lectured by Lyuba soon enough.

"What is this I hear about your tantrums? I thought that was a thing of the past."

B's smile was full of sarcasm as she turned away from the view of the North Carolina mountains. Their base was on top of a lush, green mountain that overlooked several other grassy hills and misty valleys. The base was a Victorian house that ran deep underground, it was Lyuba's in heritance as story that she had refused to share.

"Funny love, I thought that of Francine too but I guess we are both two peas in a pod." B bit back spitefully earning a look of irate resentment from Lyuba. B admired the gypsy woman, finding it rather amusing the way she displayed her rage, the way the simmering annoyance lit her oddly light grey eyes.

"It's not wise to infuriate me Bianca, you know I do not react well to your sass." She hissed. B glowered and then rolled her eyes. She hated being addressed by her whole name especially in such a stern manner. If Lyuba was moaning it under her, that would have been more desirable.

"It's the only way I can get a reaction from you now. Other than prancing in the nude, of course." B retorted snidely despite the wickedly charming grin.

"What do you want from me?" Lyuba demanded knowing B's responses were really masking a internal issue.

"Do I suddenly not interest you now that I've done what you've asked?" B demanded trying to seem nonchalant, but anticipating the answer had her on edge. Lyuba fixated a stern gaze onto the younger woman.

"You managed to do a mediocre job and now you are demanding praise?" She questioned blandly. B glowered, criticism wasn't something she enjoyed.

"I did everything you asked." She insisted.

"You held a man hostage and compromised the entire situation with your recklessness. We are lucky that they don't discover us because of it." Lyuba hissed, her expression darkening, reflecting her inner annoyance.

"Then lets end his life, a dead man is a silent man." B suggested with a wicked grin curved at her lips.

"We do not murder!" Lyuba exclaimed, her dark eyes flaring. B felt like rolling her eyes to the back of her skull, exhausted by the Gypsy woman's mercy.

"No, you just want control." B stated bluntly. "I am not your little puppet that you can pull the strings of make me dance for you, I thought I mattered more."

"You do." Lyuba said, her expression softening in pity as she reached out to the woman. B recoiled from her touch.

"Stop manipulating me." She hissed.

"I am not manipulating you, you are the one who keeps trying to push back what is truly frustrating you."

"What's that?"

"Miss Olivia."

Mistress B tensed at the name and immediately shrunk back, her body language was no longer threatening but vulnerable. Lyuba took the chance to dominate the situation and prowled to the woman.

"You obsessed for months over that girl." She reminded strictly, circling her like a hawk about to strike. "You think I didn't notice?"

B masked her vague ignominy with a sultry smile and leaned in towards the Romani female.

"Were you jealous?" She purred, eyeing her lips hungrily. "I can make up for it I promise."

Lyuba scowled and turned away. "You are just a child."

B was hurt by the dismissal, even more so when the lady walked away with a pompous sashay of her hips.

"That wasn't your attitude a few months ago." B reminded teasingly. Lyuba didn't respond, she had her back turned to the strawberry blonde, while toying with the vials of potions on her wooden desk.

"Love?" Mistress B called, impacted by the waves of ambiguous, dark intent that emitted off her.

"I should have stopped this when I could; it wasn't fair for me to take advantage of your affections for me in order to push back my feelings for another." Lyuba murmured softly under her breath.

Mistress B stared silently for a moment, her expression guarded by her eyes were flashing in indignation. She had heard the speech before nearly a dozen times. The woman was in some sort of guilt over betraying a love of hers from her days as a therapist for some militia group. Lyuba didn't speak much of her past but she did spend most of her days brooding over the mysterious woman.

Mistress B was envious before, so much so that it burned under her skin, but now she found it plain annoying. Her indecision was most taxing.

"Oh great, a dramatic monologue." B grumbled sardonically under her breath.

"Do warn me next time so I don't stand around."

Lyuba spun around to face her, her long, dark hair making a 360 rotation from the velocity in her turn.

"Your attitude is most unbecoming. Its past time you grew up from this." She growled in warning.

Mistress B stared dead-panned, smirked and then brushed past the woman to the door.

"I thought you liked my wild side." She whispered as she headed to the exit, not chancing a glance at the incensed lady.

"I warned you." Lyuba noted coldly. "If you did not learn control there will be consequences."

B had walked away with a haughty scoff, missing the look of pure vengeance in Lyuba's eyes. Mistress B should have remembered that Lyuba had a sick habit of punishing people in the most literal sense.

* * *

"Where are we?" Bucky demanded gruffly, his gaze narrowed out window of the passenger seat. He observed the tall pine trees they passed on the bending road down the mountain, with a shrewd look. Something was off, his gut had tightened again, and they weren't on the road he planned to be on. The sun was setting past them, behind the peaks of the alps.

He averted his attention to the woman who was driving. Jo had one hand posed on the steering wheel while the other fiddled with the radio knob. Static emitted from the speakers that kept him on edge, she kept changing channels and frowning when the white noise continued on.

She cursed suddenly and the vehicle slowed down a little. He watched the movement of her right hand as it ventured down to her knee. She began to massage the round cap with her finger tip, pinching at an attempt to relieve some pain. His clear eyes narrowed, if it hurt too much to drive why had she insisted on it?

"On the path to murder and maim, we should be there in a few hours time so I would like to stop somewhere to get a bite to eat." She announced.

"Where?" He questioned.

"Some burger joint I guess."

"I mean where are we heading afterwards?" He reworded through gritted teeth. She hesitated in answering her question and that was his first sign.

"One of several Hydra bases." She said. He glowered and immediately pulled out his weapon before aiming the barrel of the gun to the side of her head.

"Stop the car." He hissed. She sat frozen while staring out the windshield, her expression passive but she made no move to park the vehicle.

"NOW." He roared.

She winced and then complied. He waited with a tense grip on the handle of the gun as she wheeled the pickup on to the edge of the road. Then sat still after pulling up the handbrake. Bucky kept a steady hold on the weapon while reaching over and pulling at the handle at her side of the door and then pushing it open.

"Get out." He ordered. She submitted with the same grim expression and climbed out of the vehicle and Bucky followed after her. He steered her towards the trees, away from any passing cars and the neighboring petrol station. Once they were far enough he decided to demand answers.

"Who are you working for?"

She groaned in aggravation and spun around to face him before directing a flat look at him. Her boots scrapped angrily against the snow covered gravel beneath them.

"Hasn't anyone told you it's hard to get a job out of prison, especially within a span of two hours? I am not Martha Stewart." She responded bluntly. He scowled, not amused by her wit.

"You are hiding something and I know you are not taking me to anywhere marked on the map." He insisted, his irate words left his lips in puffs of white steam.

"Okay fine I was lying about that, but you need to know my reasons." She said defensively but her words were almost pleading, determined to voice the truth. Bucky didn't feel like lowering his walls, she had already lied once, what if she was trying to pull another fast one.

"You are still working for Hydra." He assumed she rolled her eyes.

"Can that not be your only conclusion?"

"You want to trade me in to get back into their good graces, is that it?" He barked, gripping the gun tightly and moving it forward in a threatening motion. She was being too casual and sardonic with her answers and he had no time to play around.

However, when he moved his weapon, she tensed and her face twitched in a suppressed emotion. She suddenly seemed fearful and her body recoiled into itself, cautiously.

"Do you feel that?" She suddenly asked. Her tone was grave, her expression serious. Bucky didn't get a chance to answer when a sharp, gnawing pain shot through his skull. He was alarmed by it at first even more so when seeing the concentration on her expression alerted him that she was causing it.

"What are you doing?" He yelled. "Stop!"

The pain continued on, fear pounded through his heart and his hands trembled as they aimed the gun at her again.

"I said stop it!" He growled.

"I've stopped." She announced staring at him with a pitying look he wasn't expecting. "Do you know why I can do that?"

He didn't make an attempt at denying his obliviousness; he simply stared, demanding answers with his cold gaze.

"It's because HYDRA has a chip in that brain of yours." She said sending a wave of dread through him. "It doesn't matter how long we run or how far, you are still going to be under their control as long as that thing is in your head."

He was both terrified and angered by her words. Even after everything Hydra still had a hold, things he couldn't remember being done to him, they all kept him grounded, trapped in a hell hole.

The fact alone made him doubt the truth in her words.

"How do I know you are not some telepath pretending to only be in control of tech?" He argued heatedly. She shot him a look of exasperation, her dark eyes menacingly frustrated.

"Believe whatever shit you want, I am trying to help you and you are just spouting nonsense." She spat. "I could fry that brain of yours right now, it just takes one spark of the wires in there and someone will have to help wipe drool off your chin."

Her threat made him tighten the hold on his weapon; he didn't doubt the validity in those words. Her ominous expression softened.

"I could have done it the moment you entered that mountain, but I didn't, what does that prove?"

"You tricked me to come here." He bit back.

"I'm trying to help you!" She exclaimed raising her arms in vexation. "Beating up on Hydra and destroying their bases will get you nothing but bruised knuckles or worse, captured. You said you want answers and I can give you that, you just have to-"

"What?" He cut in rudely.

"Trust you?" He hissed mockingly. She fell silent and Bucky continued on.

"I don't even know you, lady. I haven't even had a flash of a memory with you, how the hell do I know you are not just making all this shit up to get me to go wherever you want me to? You did so just now."

Bucky felt relief flow through his veins the moment he had uttered such malicious words. It was as if he was pushing off a large weight from his chest, but the mass returned doubled in load when he studied her face. There was a genuine, misty hurt in her eyes, as if she couldn't believe what she had heard or what he had said. That same guilt from a top the mountain had returned, the intense regret he didn't know how to handle.

He was tempted to apologize, the admission of guilt clung to the edge of his tongue like a barbell, but he swallowed the words when she glowered at him.

"You know what?" She hissed and Bucky prepared himself for a repertoire of insults.

"Fuck this." She grumbled looking at him dead in the eye.

"You never used to look at me like this, you are the one person I could rely on to not make me feel like the monster that I am!" She cried eliciting a deep, understanding empathy from him. He stared, stunned by her outburst as she took ragged breaths, trying to calm her trembling anger.

"You don't trust me anymore, and right now I don't care if I get it back." She growled, low. "I'm hungry and I'm tired of trying to convince your pig head around this."

She spun around and began to limp towards the stretch of road, her entire body was stiff with a suppressed anger and Bucky was the slightest bit intimidated.

"Where are you going?" He demanded bravely.

"To get a car that isn't a fucking stick." She bit back loudly, not bothering to cast him a glance.

"You can stay here brooding for all I care."

He paled, panic set in. She was going to abandon him and the thought terrified him, watching her walk away stirred a horror he had never experienced before.

"Stop!" He ordered despite himself.

She didn't, she kept lumbering on determined to reach the asphalt. A sinking, fear in his stomach returned, the possibility of being wrong about her and accusing her of deeds that are pure speculation. He stared after her, tongue tied and heart racing. He needed her to not walk away, but she kept going.

"I said stop!" He yelled out. In a state of panic and instinct, he shot at the ground just few feet ahead of her. The bullet made impact with the earth, chunks of dirt and rock spluttered into the air and Jo immediately flinched and brought her arms up to protect her head.

Bucky froze, startled by what he had done, but he felt a wave relief when she finally spun around to face him. But the relief was fleeting when she fixated a dark, incensed glower onto him.

"Did you just take a fucking shot at me?" She hissed her hands clenched into trembling fists at her side.

"I said stop." He repeated firmly, aiming the gun at her again. His fingers gripped the handle of the gun, far from the trigger; he made sure to put the safety on.

She studied him with those obsidian eyes of hers; they seemed to burn into him, as if analyzing all his physical weaknesses and tempted to strike them.

"It's funny, you are holding me at gun point yet you are the one feeling threatened." She judged, frowning grimly at him.

His chest tightened in an unexplainable shame. Even though her look was murderous there was a glint of something more emotional, she was wounded by his actions and he didn't know how to respond.

"I don't know who to trust. I-I don't know what to do." He didn't know why he had confessed that to her or what possessed him to lower is walls in an instant. But she stopped glowering at him and her expression softened to a look of uncertain, tender, concern. The situation felt familiar, like he had voiced insecurities to her before. He tried to remember, but his head resisted, throbbing painfully causing him to wince.

She spotted this, her eyes narrowed and she took a step to him.

"You know who I am, don't you?" She questions softly in that same hopeful tone she tried to mask desperately. He stared at her, struggling to form a sentence. The scenery behind her began to blur out and her appearance had changed. Her clothes kept shifting from her jeans and black top to a silky, long, dress. He was stunned by the jolt of want that stirred in him, but it was more than that, it was like finding his way home and he didn't know what it even was in that moment.

"No." He shook his head, scared of the rush of feelings he was experiencing. He lowered his weapon and his gaze to the ground.

"I-I don't know, I can't remember."

She stared for a longest time till the middle of her brows pinched in pain and she turned away. A long, miserable sigh escaped her lips, she looked defeated and Bucky didn't know why he felt the need to reassure her. She gazed past the trees, analyzing her options.

"I am going to hot wire a car." She announced grabbing his misty gaze. She was pointing to the grocery store/ petrol station they could see traces of beyond the trees. It was a short walk, fifteen minutes tops. He looked to her again questioningly and she started to approach him, cautiously.

Bucky tensed when she reached him but she kept at a safe distance, allowing him room to feel like he wasn't about to be attack. She pinned him under a look of tender insistence he knew he had seen once before, the calm he was experiencing felt familiar.

"I know you can't remember right now." She began to say gently. "But even when our own mind fails us our instincts doesn't. If you really believe that you can't bring yourself to trust me in your gut, then go on your killing spree because I know for sure you wouldn't want to listen to the answers I have for you."

Despite the graveness in her words he found sense in them. He knew full well of the dangerous path he was on and he was aware that it was just a release for his demons. However, her inspiring speech made him consider the option, even if he didn't completely trust her.

"What if I do come with you?" He voiced. A flicker of hope passed through her obsidian eyes, she braved a minuscule smile.

"Then I can guarantee you will know the truth, but it won't be easy." She responded. He stared expecting her to say more but she grinned and then turned before heading towards the station, struggling with her wounded right leg.

James Buchanan Barnes stood between the crowding trees for what felt like eternity, struggling to make a decision.

Former Hydra Agent, Joanna was hidden under the dashboard of the latest car she had infiltrated. It was a 2012 metallic blue, Suzuki Swift. The car's affordability and popularity made it inconspicuous. She took her time hot wiring the car, not that it was difficult, she just wanted to give him more time. Joanna knew she should be worrying about the owner returning, but her heart was heavy at the thought of him turning down her offer.

The engine ignited to life and she straightened up on the driver's seat. Her expression was grim as she gripped at the charcoal black, leather covering of the steering wheel. She chanced a glance at the rearview mirror, hoping to find him standing behind the car, but he wasn't.

She waited for another minute before deciding she was chancing the owners return.

 _I can't just leave him._ She knew she had given him the choice but she knew if he declined it would be the wrong one. Her features sharpened with determination, she nudged the gear into reverse and pulled from the parking area by the side of the building. She decided she was going to drive back onto the main road where they stopped and convince him into the car, whatever it took to—

Her train of thought came to an abrupt halt at the sight of him blocking her path to the exit. His metal hand was glinting against the faint light from the white tube light above the side entrance to the store. His expression was shadowed and grim but he eyed her within the car hesitantly.

There was a moment of charged silence, her heart was racing in excited relief. He approached, rounded the car and opened the door. She waited patiently as he settled in and slam the door once he ascended the vehicle.

She resisted the urge to smile and drove out of the scene of the crime as hastily as possible. She cast him a sideways glance. He was brooding and staring out his window, seemingly small and trapped in his seat. Freeing one hand from the steering wheel, she fished through her coat and pulled out a vanilla brown cake roll, wrapped in a transparent sheath.

"Twinkie?" She offered, keeping a steady gaze on the road. He looked to her in a vague interest, despite the disgust he expressed at the sight of the semi flattened cake, he picked it up between his nimble fingers.

"What is this shit?" He demanded grimacing.

"You used to love them." She said flashing him a grin. "That and M&M's."

He didn't believe her despite the confidence she expressed, but the moment he tore into the cover and took a delicate bite, he immediately regretted his quick judgment. He practically shoved the entire roll into his mouth before asking for another. Joanna graciously complied with a amused smile.

"Where are these so called answers anyway?"He demanded dryly.

"An old buddy of mine." Jo responded while fiddling with the functioning radio. "He should be able to help you with your memory troubles. Ever heard of Charles Xavier?"

 **Please review :)**


	4. Playlist

_**Oddball: Oh hon I am so late in wishing you. HAPPY VALENTINES WEEK XD. Lame I know.**_ Well _ **there is more to Mistress B's guilt than just the incident you will find out**_ more _ **later, but not in this chapter ;).**_ Yes _ **Charlie will be making an**_ apperance _ **, but not yet either, please be patient with**_ me : _ **3.**_

 _ **Jo: YO DEADPOOL WAS FUCKING AWESOME. I did have a few suggestions but I heard that their budget was cut last minute so it made sense why it was a little speedy at**_ times, _ **but other than that I loved it.**_

Supesfan _ **: Aww thanks, well they will be coming in soon,**_ hopefully _ **the next chapter ;).**_

shanishinx _ **: Oh wow, thank you so much. Your review seriously made my day and I was having a pretty lousy one so thank you so much for your kindness.**_ Yes _ **the whole Jo thing I hadn't disguised that much because**_ its _ **supposed to be obvious. BUT more surprises will be heading your way.**_ Aww _ **I am so glad you loved the story, Captain America is a particular weakness**_ on _ **me, but then I figured might as well write a**_ bucky _ **fanfic. Well I try to update once a week but it might get harder to do with my**_ fulltime _ **job, but my aim is to complete this story before Civil War so here is hoping.**_

* * *

 **Thanks for all the reviews, I love this chapter by the way for several reasons. Okay tc**

 **xx**

 **SSC**

* * *

"You are over my head, I'm outta my mind. Thinking I was born in the wrong time. One of a kind, living in a world gone plastic. Baby, you are so classic."

Bucky sank into his seat while aiming exasperated looks at the singing woman beside him. It was amusing at first, but that was three hours ago. He was tired, hungry and she was completely off key.

However, watching her have the time of her life, popping her shoulders and body while dancing away to some random beat on the radio, did fascinate him a little. He just wished she would stop inducing a heart attack every time she took her hands off the steering wheel to raise them into the air.

The sun had set into the mountains behind them. The night was shrouded in darkness and headlights was their only illumination down the winding asphalt.

"Are you going to be singing the entire way there?" He decided to voice his frustrations. She paused in her serenade and reached out to lower the volume before looking to him, extremely appalled.

"What? You don't like my singing?" She demanded.

"No, I voiced my displeasure just to confuse you." He grumbled mordantly with a dramatic roll of his eyes. Jo deadpanned and then directed her attention back to the highway they were on.

"I see the sarcasm still stuck around through the years." She muttered, mimicking his frustrated tone.

"You used to love my singing." She abruptly announced.

"Really?" He asked, surprised by the fact.

"Yah, you said I had the voice of an angel." She insisted sheepishly. Bucky scoffed and couldn't bite back the smirk that curled up the corner of his mouth.

"Call bullshit on that." He retorted confidently.

She uttered no verbal response, but from the mildly annoyed pursuing of her lips, Bucky knew he had been right in detecting her vague lie.

He wanted to say something more; her reactions made him itch to tease her. He would have too if a familiar tune emitting from the speakers hadn't caught his attention.

It was like a siren call, beckoning a distant memory kept bay by years of memories. The song title was at the tip of his tongue and the moment the words of the song resounded, his heart began to pound erratically.

Jo reached out and he jumped at the thought of her trying to mute the song, he quickly stilled her hand with his.

"Wait, I know this song." He announced suddenly.

"Sure, you don't know who I am but you know Bryan Adams." She grumbled teasingly while increasing the volume.

There was only you and me.

We were young and wild and free.

"Well I'll admit the guy is pretty unforgettable," She added with a fond smile as the melody filled the small space.

"No, this song." Bucky breathed admiring the soft, adoring look in her eyes as she stared a head as they drove on.

"You love this song." He was amazed by his own declaration, let alone the complete surety it held. She didn't react instantly like he expected to at his own startling realization. She was grinning dazzlingly and a laugh like a sigh escaped her lips.

"Yeah but don't tell anyone, it's not good for my rep—" She froze, insight had caught up to her.

"Wait a minute." She breathed in mystification and glanced at him in shock. She held his stunned stare for a brief few seconds before looking to the road again.

"Interesting, your memories of me are stimulated by music." She mused thoughtfully to herself.

"I wonder..."

He was intrigued by the plotting look in her eyes.

"Wonder what?" He asked, shifting curiously in his seat, waiting for a plan, something to stimulate his memories again. She slanted him a reckless grin that impacted him more than he cared to admit.

"Listen handsome, I listened to a lot of music when we were together," She said. "So I am thinking if this song was enough to remind you of me…"

"The same method would work with other types of music."He cut in slowly finding truth and hope in her idea. Her smile widened and there was a gleeful twinkle in her dark eyes.

"It's worth a shot right?"

He held her hopeful gaze. It wasn't exactly the idea he had when it came to regaining his memories, but tracing back his steps hadn't worked, maybe what was needed was something deeper, an emotional trigger.

Joanna continued to amaze Bucky. The woman had secrets stashed in every corner of the country they drove to. She parked outside a seemingly normal motel room with a large pink- neon sign that reads EASY STAY. The building faced the main road along with all the room doors. Bucky waited in the car for Jo to return with a key from the manager, the moment she did, he jumped out of the vehicle and picked up his back pack.

They found residence in room 42. He stared at the sign for a long while, wondering why it carried such a heavy symbolism to him. When he entered the room Jo wasn't in sight. He felt a pang of discomfort at first until she emerged from the bathroom to the left, with a parcel wrapped in clear plastic.

She dropped the package onto the breakfast table, pulled out her pocket knife and began to cut into it. He was anxious at first and itched to hold a weapon in case she proved to be against him after all, but curiosity kept his gaze pinned on the mysterious package.

Within a cardboard box was what looked to be a silver-blue iPod, a charger, and small, black leather, phone book. She laid them out in a scramble before picking up the white charger and plugging the device into the nearest outlet.

Bucky was surprised she didn't say much or give an explanation for all the strange objects she had stashed in random places on their journey. He didn't want to ask either and risk seeming too nosey. He decided to deal with it, as long as she didn't threaten his life, Bucky was comfortable, but that didn't mean he trusted her.

When they slept on separate beds that night, he knew to keep a knife tucked under his pillow and not fall asleep till she did. Hydra agents were trained with the ability to infiltrate any social group. They could be your best friend one moment and then stab you in the back without any remorse.

Bucky knew this, he had trained these people to be lethal killing machines, he knew he was wise to be wary.

Bucky couldn't sleep the entire night. Joanna was snoring away lying flat on her stomach with her arms hugging swans-down pillow and her legs at an awkward angle. He was envious of her ability to hit the mattress and immediately fall asleep. He wished it was that easy for him.

The nightmares plagued him, terrifying him to the point where sleep was no longer a luxury but something he dreaded. He lay on his bed for the whole night, staring up at the ceiling and allowing his thoughts to wonder. When the morning sun began to the fill the room, he got up, dressed and headed out to get breakfast.

When Bucky returned with a white paper bag full of bagels, Jo was already awake and toying with her iPod while sitting at the table. She nodded her head in acknowledgment when he joined her at the dining area. She practically pounced at the sight of the bagel and attempted to shove an entire one into her mouth.

"Alright, this is my playlist." She explained plugging the green tipped aux cable to the music player and then connecting it to a mini, cube-shaped speaker. Bucky knew she had purchased it sometime during their travels. She was an odd female, not comfortable in silences and always needed some form of music filling whatever space she occupied.

"Hydra secure files, be damned." She rambled on while running her thumb over the control keys. "There is no way in hell I would ever not make a backup, of a backup of my music."

Bucky smirked, the woman had strange priorities. A soft melodic tune began to play. She increased the volume, placed the iPod on the surface of the table and then aimed the speaker at him.

"So I am just going to set this on a play. If anything jogs your memory let me know." She announced and then stood up from her chair, Bucky was jolted into attention.

"Are you going somewhere?" He demanded, glaring up at her. Her dark brows lifted in intrigue and a playful smile curved along her full lips. She pinned her hands down on the wooden surface while holding his steady gaze.

"Do you want me to leave?" She asked teasingly.

He frowned and shook his head in a 'no' while trying to remain indifferent. She beamed down at him and stretched up to her full height.

"Great." She responded and pulled out her phone from her side pocket. "I am going to catch up on my correspondence."

He watched her walk towards the open kitchen, his keen eye lingered on her shapely behind longer than it was deemed appropriate. He didn't know why he caught himself looking at her in such a hungry, intense manner, it as if his own body couldn't help itself. He pushed aside the thought of contemplating the strangeness of it all and focused his attention on the task at hand, maybe her idea would work.

Joanna strolled along the length of the L-shaped kitchen counter with her burner phone pressed to her ear. It took three consecutive rings before a voice was finally heard in answer.

"Hey, Jude." Joanna beamed in greeting.

 ** _"Oh fuck."_** The woman on the other end of the line cursed. Jo's wicked grinned lengthened as she stopped pacing by the sink.

"Well, that's a nice way to greet a gal who just got out of prison." Jo uttered in a winning, sarcastic tone.

 ** _"How the fuck did you escape from Hydra?"_** Jude hissed.

"I had help." Jo responded chancing a glance at the mercenary that sat hunched over the kitchen table.

"Speaking of, I need a favour." Jo added leaning back into the edge of the marble counter.

 ** _"Hell no."_** The woman bit back venomously. **_"Last time you asked for my help I was left stranded in the middle of northern Russia. I nearly got frostbite on my ass because of you."_**

"Bet it gave that whole 'buns of steel' you were hoping for." Jo sniggered.

 ** _"I am hanging up."_ ** Jude uttered bluntly.

"Hey, Jude. Don't make it bad." Jo chimed to a melody, grinning at her own play on words. All jokes aside Joanna was in desperate need for Jude's help. The woman was one of the weapons specialists at Hydra. Jo was known for spending most of her time with the lab geeks at Hydra, she had found them more tolerable than the rest.

"I really need your help…" She confessed reluctantly, her smile softening to a frown.

"I have him."

 ** _"Have who?"_ ** Jude demanded with that same edge in her tone.

"Winters," Jo answered hesitantly.

 ** _"Christ—"_** Joanna could practically picture the pale, small face of the woman.

"He needs my help, now more than ever—" Jo added quickly before Jude could reject her request.

 _ **"I am not doing this with you."**_ Jude cut in sternly.

Joanna glowered at the white wall in front of her. A dark look of annoyance took over her obsidian eyes.

"You owe me." She reminded careful to keep her voice low but threatening. "Don't forget who got you out of Hydra, you would be swallowing your own teeth if it wasn't for me."

Jude fell silent and Joanna took deep breaths to calm her rising temper. She didn't mean to sound so incensed, but Jude's attitude in the whole situation wasn't helping especially when Joanna had saved her life.

"Just this once, Jude," She begged." I won't bother you again, I swear."

There was a pregnant silence from the other end of the line. Joanna was ninety percent certain that Jude could be relied on, but she also knew that trouble had a tendency to follow Joanna like a plague.

 _ **"What do you need?"**_

Joanna perked up, grinning wide as a wave of relief flooded her system.

"Toys, lots of toys." She said. "And Jack, I need Jack."

 ** _"At least, he will be happy to see you."_** Jude grumbled lastly before ending the call. Jo stood still surprised by the sudden shutdown but at the same time, she wasn't all that shocked by it. Jude was the type of girl that held grudges. Jo had left someone behind that night she saved their lives. Even though Joanna knew Jude didn't blame her entirely, she still wished she could have done more.

A heavy sigh escaped Joanna's lips as she tucked her phone back into the back pocket of her jeans. She turned back around and approached the soldier at the table. He was hunched over, elbows posed at the surface of the desk and his fingers buried into his lowered head. Concerned by his fatigued body language, she reached him and gently grazed her finger tips over the beginning curve where his alloy arm met his shoulder.

"You alright there, Winters?" She asked cautiously. Her heart tightened from how familiar the action was. Her mind was transported back to several mornings she woke up and found him sitting in a chair or the edge of the bed, lost in his thoughts. She pushed back the memory, determined not to dwell on the past for long and focused her attention on him.

He looked up and the deep despair in his eyes made her insides melt in adoring pity.

"Nothing is working." He sighed woefully.

"Really?" she asked tearing her gaze away from him and to the iPod in his hands. "How many songs has it be—"

"Fifteen." He cut in bluntly.

"Wow." She bit the inside of her cheek, determined not to laugh at his child-like frustration. She took a seat on the chair opposite him.

"Like any of it?" She asked teasingly. He flashed a look of annoyance that could cut through a block of ice. She rolled her eyes, quite accustomed to his glowering stares.

"Alright, chill." She grumbled, fiddling with the volume button on the speaker set. "You'd think my upbeat collection of tunes would lighten you up a little."

"I think I've chilled enough." He countered in that same peevish tone, earning a look of wonder from the woman sitting across him.

"Sarcasm, good." She mused her eyes glimmering. "Feel better?"

"No." He grumbled.

"Maybe if you punched something. That usually helps me, oh and apple-pie."

"I don't want any."

"Milk then." She abruptly stood up, surprising him. He watched her return to the kitchen; picked up a tall, empty glass. She ran the object under the water, giving it a thorough clean. Bucky noticed there was a copper kettle on the stove. She turned the knob and dispersed the fire before pouring from the pot into the tall glass. Bucky watched the thick white liquid that filled the glass cylinder. He was surprised that it was milk and his mouth salivated at the sight of it.

She brought over the crystal by holding it by the brim.

"Here," She said, placing the glass beside his metal arm. "Warm just how you like it."

He stared at the glass, eyeing it unsurely. Seeing his hesitation she rolled her eyes and took a heavy gulp to prove to him she hadn't drugged it in any way. He was satisfied by the display and gathered the glass into his deft hand and brought the brim to his lips.

"Thanks," He muttered before taking a long swing.

Joanna watched him keenly, a little mesmerized by the bobbing of his Adam's apple at each desperate gulp. She felt a sense of peace, having him within reach. She continued to not be overwhelmed by the thought of the countless mornings they had shared.

"I never really understood your fascination with plain milk." She spoke to fill the silence. "You didn't even want to put chocolate syrup into it. You are like a cat."

He cracked a smile while returning the glass back to the table.

"You said that last time," He said surprising her.

"Did I?" She asked.

"Yeah." He uttered still smiling, but then his expression immediately angled in shock, realizing that he was having a memory of some sort. Joanna felt silent and waited, anticipating his next words. His crystal blue eyes were shivering as he stared into space between them; his lips were parted in awe as images began to flash in his mind.

"We were at that hotel." He began to narrate. The mental projections were a little blurred but the more his focused the clearer they were. He was walking across gleaming white tiles, the path led him to a bedroom. There was a large king-sized bed with egg shell white sheets and beige throw pillows. The head post was tall and made of a rich, dark-brown mahogany. The bed was pushed to the right side of the room and took up the center. Across from him was a large window, framed by curtains that matched the pillows. It was a view of a cityscape he instantly recognized to be Iran.

His attention was grabbed by the strange, giant, burned to a black crisp like a tree in the center of the room. He eyed it disapprovingly.

"It had that weird tree ornament." He observed out loud, feeling a sense of discomfort wash over him.

"Tree ornament?" He heard her echo softly.

"Yea," He confirmed. "It was black and had these twisted branches. I didn't like it so I covered it with a towel."

He could practically feel the warm, malleable white wool in his hands as he draped the material over the statue. There was a ringing in his ears that began to slowly turn into a melody, it was catchy, playful and extremely loud.

Up on Melancholy Hill, there is a plastic tree.

Are you here with me?

He realized that the song in his head was the one that emitted from the speakers, the trick was working, the music truly was stimulating his memories.

"This tune was playing." He said making a quick gesture at the electronic object.

"This song?" She responded, astonished.

"We were." His voice drawled to a bewildered silence, the scenery had dramatically changed and he was no longer standing at the foot of the bed but sitting and he wasn't alone.

Joanna was there, she looked the same but different somehow. The length of her hair and appearance was similar but her eyes, they held such an intense emotion in them that left him desperate for air. They were within extremely close proximities. She was straddling him, her fingers were in his hair, he felt the scraping of her finger nails against the scalp, it soothed him. Her full lips neared his and pressed to his mouth; the warmth flooded his system and sent a jolt of want straight to his groin.

He had knocked himself out of the memory from the shock of it all. He didn't realize how hard he was breathing until he had heard his own raspy exhales between his ears.

"Oh."

He glanced up, dazed. She was watching him, grinning wickedly.

"Well, I certainly remember that." She whispered leaning the weight of her arms onto the table, pinning him under her dancing, obsidian eyes.

"That was a wild night." She breathed huskily.

"We— we were together, once?" He struggled to ask, his face felt hot and his heart was still pounding.

"Once?" She scoffed humorously. She leaned back into her chair while observing him with a possessive gleam in her eyes.

"Cute," She whispered teasingly making his face feel warmer.

"Multiple times actually," She stated factually sending another wave of desire through him.

"But that was the one time I left the music playing really loud," She said referring to the particular memory he had been experiencing.

"Why was that?" He asked cautiously, leaning in with a new magnetic attraction. Her posture changed from confident to guarded, he was surprised by the unexpected shift in moods.

She crossed her arms over her chest defensively; she averted her gaze to the table.

"I was having one of my episodes," She said. Another flash of recollection floated into his subconscious at her triggering words. He saw in that same room, huddling in a corner by the window, the loud music blaring in the background. She seemed immune to the noise and had her face hidden in a rectangular pillow across her pulled up knees.

It was the very image of a woman trying desperately to find some form of calm. She looked like a child, lost, alone and afraid. Her body was trembling and his heart clenched with a sudden urge to draw her into his body and comfort her.

"You had your face buried in a pillow." He recalled as the image faded away before his eyes and there was only her passive expression.

"I was trying to block out the noise." She explained, a twinkle of mischief returning to her eyes.

"But your method was much more effective." She flirted flashing him a pearly white smile. "I stopped using the alternative after that."

"Alternative?" He echoed, confused.

"I haven't always had the smoothest ride with my…abilities." She began to say. "Over using them causes certain problems like migraines which are painful to the point of black outs, sometimes I hear this sharp drilling in my ears. It's hard to explain, it's like my head is about to explode. This doctor who was assigned to monitor my state of mind assured me that it wasn't anything that was taking a severe toll on my body."

"How did they confirm that?" He demanded, concerned by her alarming symptoms.

"By pushing me to the edge of course." She grinned through her pained expression. Bucky blinked, startled by the admission.

"It's not all bad," She said with a casual shrug, an attempt at easing him or trying to act like the experience didn't bother her as much as it actually did. "They did give me a solution but it turned out to be something that was helping them control me."

"They made you do things?" He asked alarmed by how relatable he found the story.

She abruptly looked up and their gaze met. A flash of deep sympathy took over her dark, endless orbs.

"No." She denied bluntly. "Everything I've ever done was my choice. Until I realized what I was doing was wrong. Then they were all like 'Whoop that's a little too much freedom for you there, Missy.'"

James Buchanan deduced in that instant that she was the type of person to try and make light out of every situation in order to avoid dealing with the problem. He found himself both exasperated and admiring of that particular characteristic. He was just glad he was finally getting her talking. The memory had eased a bit of the animosity between them, and the one he had stirred by shooting her in the woods.

She had gotten over it remarkably quickly; either that or she held a grudge.

"What made you see the errors?" He questioned, inquisitive about her past.

"Well—" She was cut off by a loud, ludicrously upbeat tone that resounded from her pants. She muttered a quick apology under her breath and fished out the cell phone before answering the call.

"Jacko, what's up brother?" she greeted amiably, already knowing who was on the other end. Bucky observed her quietly, studying her features carefully; being engaged in sexual acts more than once implied that they were lovers. _Were they lovers?_ The idea didn't sound insane to him, sure he was shocked at first but his attraction to her made a lot of sense in that moment.

He finally had an explanation to why the crisp, floral scent of her hair did wonderfully strange things to his insides. He still carried lust for her, it was more evident now that he knew the truth and he couldn't stop admiring her pretty face. He eyed her mouth longer than deemed appropriate, she had such a full lower lip, easy to nibble and suck on. Her reckless grin was disarming, her dark eyes were enchanting and Bucky tried to remember what she looked beneath her clothes, naked in her beauty.

He shook his head and averted his gaze, face flushed and utterly ashamed of the dangerously wicked thoughts that consumed his mind. They were lovers in the past but that was one truth out of a million other things that could have happened. If she had really meant much to him he figured he would have remembered. Then again, he didn't remember his childhood friend till he was beating the man to a pulp.

 _ **"You are alive! I can't believe it."**_ Jack exclaimed loudly, causing Joanna to flinch from the volume.

"Your faith in my abilities is truly flattering. " She mused, smiling at his enthusiasm.

 _ **"I am so glad Jo really, you've been gone for more than three years, people were looking for you."**_

She didn't doubt the validity in that; she had an inkling of whom was searching for her, someone hairy, wild and extremely lethal.

"As curious as I am to know who was looking for me, but we gotta keep this call short. I need to get to you." She stated in a businesslike manner.

 ** _"Of course, it's the same place coordinates as before, you remember right?—of course you remember, you never forget a thing."_**

"You guys haven't moved?" She gaped at the air, annoyance consuming her. "For fucks sake. I told you, idiots, to keep on the road. You know you are not safe."

Her lecturing had grabbed the Winter Soldier's attention. He peered at her with furrowed brows and demanding reasons for her tone.

 _ **"Hey we've been here for years without a hiccup; I don't think we are their biggest priority now,"**_ Jack argued.

"Yah I heard, karma is a bitch, or in this case, Captain Tight-Pants America." She snorted at her own wit. "Winters and I will be heading there first light. You better have a sick ass meal ready for me."

 _ **"Whoa, you found him?"**_

"More like he found me," She mumbled holding his piercing stare.

"I'll save the hot Goss for when we meet yeah?" she suggested, not wanting to discuss the subject, especially over the phone.

 _ **"Great,"**_ Jack responded, content with scheduling the conversation for later.

 ** _"See you soon Jo,"_ ** He concluded rather excitedly.

"Damn straight." She uttered coolly and then ended the phone call. She smiled fondly to herself. It was nice to know that she was missed, especially when the one that mattered no longer remembered.

Baby steps. She convinced herself, he did remember one of their many naughty liaisons.

"I need to run a few errands," Jo announced and abruptly stood up.

"Errands?" Bucky echoed while munching on a remaining bagel.

"Internet café," She stated while picking up her jacket that she had draped over the back rest of her hair. "There is a lot I need to catch up on. You are welcome to join me but I think you should spend your time trying to sleep."

He tensed at her observation and she stared back.

"I noticed you didn't get any last night." She murmured like it wasn't of much consequence.

"Didn't know you had the chance to recon between all that snoring." He mused bluntly. Her eyes narrowed to slits, wondering if he was genuinely taking a shot at teasing her. She swore she saw the ends of his lips quirk up like he was stifling a laugh.

"Well, it's hard not to when you are looming in shadows like the fucking Boogie-man." She responded equally haughty and grinning brightly.

"If its nightmares I have a pill for that." She noted.

"No." He declined bluntly and stood up. She rolled her eyes while shrugging on her jacket.

"Suit yourself, more for me." She muttered under her breath. Jo marched to the door and opened it before waiting for him to follow. He brushed past her with his usual authoritative swagger. She knew he would have seemed more intimidating if he wasn't carrying her iPod with its attached earphones in his hands. She stifled a grin and shut the door at her exit.

* * *

He struggled to breath; his chest was tight and stiff. They had him pinned down from all sides, his back flat and cold against the metal table beneath him.

 _"Sergeant Barnes."_ He heard a deep raspy voice caution; it was sinister and sent a chill down his spine.

"No!" He fought back. He swung his arm and he made an impact with flesh. He heard a sharp pain filled grunt and the sound of a body hitting the floor with a heavy thump. White suits surrounded him and he saw the glint of a needle from the corner of his eye.

"Stop it!"

"Winters, calm down."

He gasped awake at the sound of her shrill call.

He shot up and alerted by the darkness that surrounded him. A silhouette on the floor beside his bed moved. His hand sneaked under his pillow and gripped at the handle of the knife.

"It's me. It's Jo." The voice rasped out, equally breathless. He stilled, the figured moved closer and her familiar scent consumed his senses. He knew he was no longer in danger but he was still struggling to regain his breathing pattern.

She hurried to him and took a seat on the edge of his bed. She reached out and gently palmed at his left shoulder blade, allowing him to feel the warmth of her hands against his skin, bunching away at all the stress his back accumulated.

"Deep breaths." She cautioned softly. He did as instructed and took a long, fulfilling breath that expanded his chest.

"One more." She insisted.

He took another gulp of air, panting from the dehydration.

"Good." She enthused.

He ran his parched tongue over his chapped lips while staring down at his sprawled legs. He was still gripping tightly at the rubber hilt of his blade. Slowly he allowed his fingers to relax and slide his hand back out from under the pillow.

"I told you should have taken the pill," She advised in a condescending tone he had no tolerance for in that moment.

"Leave me alone." He snapped pushing away from her healing touch.

"I don't trust you." He sneered.

There was a moment of charged silence from her end like his words had either angered her or greatly wounded her. He felt uncomfortable with the prolonged silence and the flight or fight instincts in him began to arise again. There was a stench of something sharp and metallic in the air, he wondered if it was from him, his mouth tasted like copper and he was desperate for a glass of water.

"Yet I am the one bringing you out of a nightmare." She grumbled sardonically under her breath. He uttered no response and continued to glower at her silhouette, expecting her to depart.

She sighed and stood up. He glared up at her from his seat on the mattress.

"Try not to scream so much." She warned irately. "We don't want any unwanted attention."

He found truth in her words but he was too tense and irritated to voice his acknowledgment. He glared at her as she began to make her way to the bathroom door. It was located on the wall adjacent to his bed. He heard the sound of the light switch flickering on. She opened the door and a streak of yellow light flooded into the room. He blinked under the harsh glare for a moment until the illuminated a substance on the floor.

Several drops of blood littered and smeared the floor. He gaped at the sight and his attention immediately returned to Joanna. He saw through the slit in the closing door, there was the unmistakable sight of a bleeding nose.

* * *

James Buchannan Barnes knew he had to be guilty of a lot of the crimes he had committed, but nothing impacted him more that realizing he had responded cruelly to a woman who had only tried to help. He had hurt her badly.

He had seen the evidence of it the next morning. She carried the purple, bruised cheek and swollen left eye like it was a fashion statement, but he knew she was in pain. She winced from time to time and avoided glancing at any reflective mirrors.

She avoided all eye contact with him, mainly because her left eye was the main functioning one at this point. She had uttered orders to pack up; afterall she had promised her friends they would be heading out on the first light.

Bucky hadn't argued and packed up efficiently. He had attempted to be chivalrous and carry her bags for her, but she was already out the door, having ignored him completely. He followed her much like a lost puppy all the way to the car.

He didn't like the silence, even though Joanna's love for the radio filled the air, the volume warned him to stay quiet, a passive aggressive notion that she didn't want to talk.

She parked the car at some random diner and exited without a word. Bucky sat awkwardly wondering where she was heading to. He was too cautious to question her, she carried the energy of a woman that shouldn't be reckoned with that morning.

So he sat in his own guilt, waiting anxiously for her return. He saw her exiting the diner ten minutes later. She carried a white bag in her hand while munching on a chocolate donut. She rounded the car, got in and steadied the bag on her lap as she ignited the car once more.

Bucky wanted to offer to drive, but the roles were reversed now, he felt like she was the one who didn't trust him. It was twisted and overwhelming and he wanted to run away from it all.

"Breakfast?"

He was startled by her offer. His head snapped in her direction. She was offering him a chicken wrap with one and while the other was steady on the steering wheel. Her cheeks were swollen from the remaining donut she munched on; Bucky noticed how dexterously she was chewing. She was wincing; clearly it was hard for her to eat without feeling the ache.

Bucky could hardly eat either, his stomach was in knots and his throat was tight with an apology he wished to voice. Instead, he chose to accept the meal in order to free her hand. He placed the wrap on his lap, stared at it contemplatively before looking to her again.

She was staring ahead, minding her own business, oblivious to his internal struggle.

"Jo." He called bravely.

"Yeah?" She rasped out in response, wiping the base of her thumb against the corner of her lip, swiping up a left over a smear of chocolate. His gaze dragged up the bruised side of her face, the skin at the sharp edge of her cheekbone had split open. The wound was pooled with dried blood, a large patch of dark purple bruising covered half the side of her face.

"I..." He gulped, throat tightening as his head began to throb in pain. The remorse made him nauseous.

"I'm..."

"It's okay." She cut in softly.

"What?" He demanded, stunned.

She slanted him a look before averting her attention back to the road.

"I know that look, I know what you are about to say and I am telling you, it's okay," She said with a hint of a smile."It's not like I haven't been punched by that arm of yours before. You did make me into the ass kicking, bad bitch that I am today."

"I don't remember," He admitted pathetically. He recalled several training sessions but none with her, he didn't know why the fact haunted him.

She glanced at him again.

"Maybe in time, you will." She mused pensively.

"Why can't you just tell me?" He demanded.

"I thought you didn't trust me." She murmured sending him on another guilt trip."How can I expect you to believe what I have to say?"

He frowned, his features creased in a sudden determination.

"You don't risk being beaten up just to wake a stranger from a nightmare." He responded sternly.

"What were we?" He demanded knowing there was more to the story than just them having sexual relations. She cared about him, he saw it now for it's genuinely, he needed to know why. What was so different? What made her so different from the others that didn't bat an eyelash in his direction? Why did he not remember her?

She continued to stare ahead, her jaw muscles clenched stubbornly.

"You will remember." She said confidently. He scowled in disappointment.

"Just tell me." He was practically pleading.

"No."

"What are you keeping from me?" He exclaimed growing aggravated. "Tell me what you are hiding."

"Calm down, Winters," She responded evenly. Her cool tone sparked indignation in him, it burned through him and locked his jaw in an angry snarl.

"Stop calling me that!" He barked. "My name is James Buchanan Barnes!"

They stilled simultaneously. Bucky was shocked by how own admission and acceptance of his identity. Joanna was startled by the revelation of it.

"James?" She echoed bewildered. "You know who you are?"

"I—" He turned away, scared and unsure.

"I don't know." He muttered despairingly.

Joanna fell silent and Bucky didn't feel like talking either. He felt the car take a slow but inevitable turn off the main road. The vehicle came to a stop but he hardly paid attention as he stared down at his lap.

A blur of manila from the corner of his eye had grabbed his attention. It was Joanna, she was gesturing a wide, paper file to him.

"Here," She said, expecting him to accept it. He stared questioningly.

"It's everything I could find on you," She explained. "The timeline was not something I was expecting, dude you are ancient."

He stared, marveled by her statement. With trembling hands he accepted the folder and placed it on his lap. It was a thick file, filled with documents and the organized with paper clips, not a single sheet out of place. He gripped the file in his hand, speechless while staring down at the blank folder.

"Why would you do this?" He asked, sadly and confused all at once. She heard the desperation and most of all the loneliness; he was mystified by her actions. She wished he knew not to be.

Their gazes met and Bucky was taken aback by the look of pure adoration she directed at him.

"Because even though you don't remember. You were the closest thing I had to a friend and I haven't forgotten."

He stared unblinkingly, his heart racing as an undeniable warmth spread through his body, filling him with a hope for what he did not know. She held his stare for a few more seconds and then averted her attention back to the vehicle. She started the engine once more and turned the wheel back on the road.

"Now if you don't mind." She said turning on the radio once again. "My jaw hurts so I want to just keep quiet and listen to some tunes."

He nodded amiably, accepting of her conditions. Of course, her jaw would hurt, she looked like she belonged in the ICU. He didn't voice out his thoughts and instead buried his guilt by focusing on the file on his lap. His hands shivered in anticipation of opening it.

He had been waiting, praying for a way to access his time at HYDRA. His mind had proved to be completely useless. It was more than just revenge on him, his journey into the jaws of HYDRA had been about finding answers. They hadn't been fruitful for the most part until he met Jo.

He decided he should ease up on the woman. Her bravery and determination to help him had proved her alliance.

* * *

Skeeter had been confused only a few times in his life. The day his mother handed him his Dad's watch and told him he passed away. When he found out he was attracted to the guy and girl next door and currently while staring at his screen. He wondered how a download that should have taken approximately two hours, completed in less than ten.

"What the actual fuck?" He mouthed under his breath.

"What is it?" Kevin perked up, alarmed by the IT expert's confusion.

"Look at this." Skeeter exclaimed pointing to the flashing, rectangular window that reads "100% downloaded"

Kevin's dark eyes narrowed at the screen, trying to find the error that Skeeter vaguely expression.

"Doesn't that mean we have all the Intel?" Agent Odell inquired unsurely.

"It was four gigs of data, it should have taken a little less than two hours, even with my high-speed data, my downloads are never this fast." Skeeter explained as his handgrippd the mouse and waved the cursor over a folder icon. He clicked it twice and it opened up into a blank window.

"There is nothing here." He announced.

"There are files right there." Kevin exclaimed gesturing to the several icons.

"Yeah, just the labels but look." Skeeter hovered the arrow over the object and it revealed there was no data within the file.

Kevin's heart sank to the pit of his stomach in disappointment. A heavy sigh escaped Skeeter's chapped lips.

"Guess we will never find out what Codename: Interface, is." He mused grimly while reading the title of one of the empty files.

"Are you saying there is nothing there?" Kevin demanded growing exasperated.

"There was clearly something here but I am betting someone accessed all the information, downloaded it and erased them, in a hurry too, what a sloppy job."

"So you are saying we have nothing?" Valerie repeated after over hearing from within the kitchen in the apartment.

"Skeeter there has gotta be something we can make sense of." Kevin pressured gently, trying not to lose his cool.

"There is a file in here that hadn't erased completely," Skeeter observed, hunched over his machine. "I'll try and see if I can piece it together, I need a minute."

Kevin took a deep, calming breath. It was eerie how many rocks they over turned and still found nothing, how many leads that led to dead-ends. Either they were down on their luck or someone really didn't want Isabelle to be found.

"It's a little creepy how badly someone wants to hide your sister." Valerie voiced his thoughts.

"I know." He agreed reluctantly. "Everyone at SHIELD is dodging my calls, except for Steve, but he is about as clueless as I am."

"Alright, so all I got was this name and address. It's to a Vaughn PR office down by the fly over." Skeeter narrowed down the info faster than Kevin expected.

"Near the Stark Tower?" Valerie asked, her cousin nodded and her expression turned grave. "Please tell me it survived the battle."

"Well, it's been reconstructed since but still functional," Skeeter noted.

"What's the name?"

"Clara Edelman."

Kevin nodded and absorbed the information. He repeated the name a few times in his head in order to not forgot, but then the sound of a pen tip scribbling on paper grabbed his attention. Valerie had a pocket-sized, black note book in her hand and she was writing meticulously.

"Let's pray this Clara woman is still around." Skeeter added and rolled around on his chair to face them.

"How is a woman working at the public relations office connected to your sister's investigation?" Valerie voiced out pensively while tapping the end of her pen to her chin.

"I guess we will find out once we get there," He suggested with a heave of his shoulders. Valerie nodded and then headed out in search for answers.

They arrived at the office which turned out to be in one of the many skyscrapers in Manhattan. The company was located on the eight floor. The elevator doors opened up into a narrow corridor that leads to a wide open space with a circular reception counter in the middle. Busy workers dressed in suits and other office wear bustled around the counter and branched off to all sides.

Kevin and Valerie lingered by the wall to the left and looked about hoping for some sort of assistance.

"Good morning Sir." A confident, polite voice called, grabbing his attention.

It was the receptionist. She was a round, cherubic-faced woman with plump cheeks, thick glasses and a very pleasant smile on her red painted mouth. Blonde curls framed her face and the twinkle in her eye made her highly approachable.

"Can I help you?" She asked.

"I hope so," He said, reaching her in quick strides and then leaning over the desk. "I am looking for a Miss Clara Edelman."

"We don't have anyone by the name working here." She answered softly, but she seemed uncertain. Kevin hesitated and glanced at Valerie on reflex. He didn't know how to proceed; he didn't know anyone else within the building or whom to be directed to. He considered asking the woman to check their employee database.

"You are the third person that turned up here looking for Clara."

Valerie and Kevin were startled by the deep voice that spoke near them. It was a security guard, an older gentleman dressed in a pastel blue shirt, black pants and police hat. He had a pair of thin, copper-framed glasses, square in shape and rather large on his weary features.

"You know who is she?" Valerie was quick to ask.

"Of course, I know, she bought me coffee every morning, nice girl. Shame about her disappearing on us." The man mused sadly.

"Disappearing?" Kevin echoed. "She doesn't work here anymore?"

"Not for nearly a decade, haven't even heard so much as a Facebook post from her. The techs would tell you more but the company took a hit after the whole alien invasion fiasco." He explained while tilting at the shade of his hat a top his thin, graying hair.

"Just like that? Gone?" Valerie demanded.

"It's a real head-scratcher, same thing I told the last guy I was here."

"Who?" Kevin cut in.

"I don't know, some dude with a hoodie and glasses. These millennial's all dress the same, who pays attention eh?" He chuckled earning a smile from Valerie. Kevin was staring pensively, he gut wrenched in a strange feeling, like maybe Clara wasn't just any lead at all, maybe…

He pulled out the folded piece of paper within his pants and spread it out before gesturing the image to the man.

"Is this Clara?" He asked, motioning to the still of his sister on the paper.

"That's her!" The old man exclaimed enthusiastically. Kevin's heart raced in amazement.

"The hair is a little different but same girl." The guard mused, peering keenly at the image."So you do nowhere she is."

"Not exactly,"Kevin mumbled.

"Is she in trouble?"He asked grimly.

"That's classified, Sir," Odell concluded. The security guard took a step back while blinking in surprise.

"Oh, you guys are undercover, gotcha," He whispered surreptitiously under his breath. "You did scream military though I should have guessed."

A third voice beckoned the older male. The guarded perked up in attention and hurried off to the direction of the voice. Kevin wanted to stop the man and demand more questions. He was positively intrigued by the discovery.

 _Clara is Isabelle?_ Kevin was reeling in shock. She had worked in New York, living among people, alive and well. _Why didn't she try to come back home? Why hadn't she tried to see me?_ Kevin knew he shouldn't ponder such emotional questions but they continued to haunt him. He was under the impression his sister was locked up in some prison for mutants, not strolling about the streets of Manhattan.

"It wasn't just any Millennial." The reception abruptly chimed in snapping him out of his thoughts.

"Sorry?" Valerie responded.

"The guy that came here looking for her. It wasn't just anybody. I am pretty sure it was Tony Stark." The woman declared confidently.

"What?" Kevin was stunned. "How could you tell?"

"He was one of our clients back in the day. Mr. Vaughn has been trying to get him onboard to leech off some of the Ironman heat. I can recognize Mr. Stark anywhere."

"You were working here when Clara was around?" Valerie questioned not doubting the validity in the woman's words. Kevin had a hard time digesting the idea of Tony knowing about Isabelle's alias as Clara and not telling him about it.

"No. I started a year ago, but I've read up on the company's history."The receptionist explained. Valerie had more questions in mind, information to fill up the ever ending mysteries that surrounded the other Odell.

"Alright, thank you, Ma'am," Kevin said politely and then turned to leave. Valerie stared at the man, flabbergasted by his dismissal. She hurried after him with the intention of question his strange ways, only to be stopped when he steadied a hand on her shoulder.

Valerie was taken aback by the dazed look in the man eyes. He was paling and looked near faint. She was immediately concerned and sympathetic of his situation.

"If that woman is right, Tony knows more than he is letting on," Kevin said grimly. "I need to go see him."

"I'll come with you." She insisted.

"No, its fine, Val." He stilled her by the shoulder. "You head back to Skeeter I'll return the moment I get an explanation."

"I am coming with you Kev." She persevered stubbornly. "One thing I am incredibly good at and that's detecting bullshit. Tony will have a lot of explaining to do."

He didn't disagree there and he uttered no argument. He felt in that moment he truly needed Valerie by his side, the idea of learning more secrets about his sister scared him.


	5. Longing

**Oddball: Hmmm Hank or Sabertooth? Are those your only two options?**

 **Jo: Hahaha Thanks ;D**

 **ShaniShinx: Of course I will respond. I respond to all reviews via chapter update :D. Oooo Nursing school,** thats **tough. I have a friend in nursing school although she did finish but still she had a tough time, good luck! Aw thank you so much for being so understanding, I hope you like this chapter xx.**

* * *

 ** _I know. I am terrible. I took ages to update this chapter. BUT it starts smutty so please forgive? :D._**

 ** _I already wrote up the following chapter so it will be published soon, please review :D x_**

 ** _SSC_**

* * *

Olivia Throne admired the sight of her sleeping, live in, boyfriend.

Steve was resting on his back, shirtless with the lower half of his body covered in the lilac duvet. The sunlight that filtered in through the window behind her highlighted the blonde strands of his hair. She lied on her side as her adoring gaze studied his facial features; she liked the slight bump on the bridge of his nose.

She always found it fascinating how despite his rather feminine features such as his pouty lips or long lashes. His strong jaw and nose kept him manly. Hard and soft, sensitive and indifferent, it was odd but she loved it, she had never seen such a face other than his or met anyone like him for that matter.

Her heavy gaze drifted down to his powerful chest. Very rarely did the Good Captain sleep in the half nude. It was something that she had noticed about him. Of course, it was unavoidable right after sex, but usually, Steve slept with a shirt that always smelt floral fresh.

Olivia knew her boyfriend was very meticulous when it came to hygiene. Maybe it was the military training or the way he grew up, but Steve took regular showers and he was extremely organized. Despite being all those things, he had never tried to enforce them on her, at least not in the places she didn't want, like her a for example.

Olivia sighed dreamily. It was something she loved very dearly about him, his respect for people's space. The transition to living together had been a bit challenging for her at first. Even though she was used to living with Norah, she wasn't accustomed to sharing her room. But Steve had been patient, he didn't rush her into the accepting the change, it was like they had all the time in the world.

She supposed it was more because they were both so busy during the last few months. Steve had been running around pursuing leads to Bucky along with several Avengers missions. Olivia was stuck between her work and helping Steve when she could. The apartment was rather chaotic but it was minimized to either her work table or Norah's former room.

Despite all the running around and being absent most of the time, he always came back home to her, something she continued to be marveled by.

Her honey brown eyes began to darken with a sudden possessive hue, as much as she loved waking up in his arms or next to him. She missed him in the most amorous ways. Even though they kissed in the mornings before setting off to work, they haven't had a chance to be together in a while, she needed him like air.

Steve was experiencing a peaceful slumber. The day before had been tiring and he felt like he hadn't had a proper rest till his body hit the mattress the night before. He had gathered Olivia's sleeping form and he had drifted off to dream land instantly. He was at a strange plane that morning, asleep and aware but not quite ready to wake up entirely. He felt warmth over his naked chest and then soft, wet presses to his neck, it felt nice and made him sigh blissfully.

The sensation continued down, making a path down his torso. He lay still, perfectly comfortable, but then he felt the bed sheet over his waist being pull a side. However, his body tensed when he felt a soft, warm hand, grip lovingly at the length of his shaft.

His eyes fluttered open and he snuck a peak down to meet the summary smile of his adorable girlfriend.

"Morning babe."

Her tongue darted out and stroked the soft head of his cock in slow teasing motions. Steve gasped and his breathing immediately hitched. She smiled, pleased by his reaction before parting her lips and taking him a little deeper into her hot, wet mouth. His body tensed from the pleasure and his vision blurred. His head lolled back as the intense ecstasy fogged his mind.

"Ol—Olli." He moaned as her tongue swirled around him.

"You are going to be the death of me." He rasped out, breathless from the bliss.

She hummed appreciatively and he felt the vibrations against his sensitive skin. She stopped licking him and used her soft hands instead. She released him from the power her mouth had over him.

"By death, you mean la petite morte?" She murmured, flashing him a wicked smile.

Steve felt his heart gallop from the sight of his impish girlfriend's dazzling grin. He would have voiced his retort if she hadn't taken him in once more with a determination to push him to rapture.

While adding a little grip and movement with her hands to the base of his shaft, her tongue stroked him faster and his pleasure mounted quickly. His fingers tangled in her thick, dark tresses, holding on for dear life as the gratification began to build.

"Olli!" He groaned when he felt the straying strings on his control give away. She pushed him to the point where he simply let go and allowed the ecstasy to consume him whole.

They were both panting equally hard. Steve was taken a storm by the release of pleasure and Olivia was aroused by being the one who provided it.

Steve was brought out of his daze, when he felt her snake up his body again, leaving little doting kisses along the way. He smiled fondly and cupped the back of her head possessively before dragging her up to his face. She hesitated when he attempted to steal a kiss; he knew why she was uncertain about their lips touching. Even though Steve had been enthusiastic about kissing after oral, she wasn't. It wasn't that she didn't enjoy it. Steve knew she did, but it was something to do with the fact that she had been the one to pleasure him.

Steve figured some lover in the past had expressed distaste towards such an act, which sounded pretty ridiculous to him. He found such kisses highly erotic and sensual; he wanted to worship and reward her gorgeous mouth that brought him such bliss.

He gazed deep into her eyes and smiled lovingly before claiming her mouth with his. She tensed at first but when he sucked her lower lip between his, she eased against his large body. Steve gathered her into his arms at they kissed ardently, his fingers played with the soft tresses of her inky black hair.

He released her from his passionate kiss and she gasped lightly for air. A smile graced her lips, lighting up her honey browns eyes that made him weak in the knees.

"So what are your plans today?" He asked while cupping the side of her face. Olivia grinned and adjusted her position so she was comfortably straddling him.

"Work." She said, palming the breadth of his chest.

"It's a Friday babe."

"I'm aware." He murmured despondently while marveling over the velvety smoothness of her skin.

"I'll come home early tonight, I swear." He vowed contritely. Olivia laughed, her shoulders shaking in mirth.

"You know I honestly don't mind you being late, I think you are just expecting me to go all ape shit on your sweet hiney." She mumbled playfully and pressed a doting kiss to the side of his face, immediately easing the captain.

Steve knew he shouldn't take Olivia's acceptance of most things for granted. He was glad that she wasn't too concerned or lonely from his late hours, either that or she was and didn't voice her thoughts to avoid conflict. Then again, Steve knew his girlfriend well enough to see the clear signs of irritation, Olivia truly didn't mind.

"Did the lead pan out?" She asked, snapping him out of his thoughts. He looked to her and was reeled in by the seriousness in her gaze.

His expression immediately sobered, she was referring to the latest lead regarding Bucky that he had been chasing.

"The man is good at dodging us; I think he knows we are trying to find him. The base was a totaled mess, nothing to salvage really. The only difference was I think he helped someone escape." Steve explained, his blue eyes were shivering in thought thinking about the two steps of footprints in the snow, exiting the sight.

"Hydra doesn't take prisoners, my ass." Olivia scoffed with a wide roll of her eyes. The Captain cracked a smile at her sardonic snort.

"Do you know who it was?" Olivia inquired about the supposed prisoner.

"No clue. I am just going to focus on finding him." Steve stated.

The web designer nibbled nervously at her lower lip while eyeing her boyfriend uncertainly.

"Babe." She called softly directing him out of his thoughts. "Have you thought that maybe he doesn't want to be found?"

She felt guilty for having voice such a notion, but it had been months and Bucky's incognito seemed pretty purposeful. Olivia hadn't said anything earlier because she didn't want to falter his faith, but she couldn't remain silent any longer.

"Yeah." Steve nodded somberly, surprising her. "The thought has crossed my mind. I guess it's why I've been giving Avengers mission a bit more priority. But the way he is going, I don't want him to end up getting himself killed."

Olivia's head bobbed in approval. Bucky was going down a dangerous path, making enemies and destroying bases. Sure he was cleaning up a hell of a lot faster than the Avengers or even the CIA, but still…it didn't leave much room for his survival.

"I narrowed down a few more locations from Bucky's file. I finally got the last two pages translated." She announced while absentmindedly palming the breath of his chest.

"Natasha finally got back to you?" Steve asked gazing up at her.

"Yeah, she came over actually, brought me a turkey sub, it was delicious." Olivia grinned, her stomach growled in agreement and Steve laughed.

She shook her head, smiled timidly and then averted her gaze coyly. "So anyway the locations we can't really get much out of since he seems to be several steps ahead of us. There is this one other option for us to track him down."

"How?" The Captain inquired, eager for more suggestions.

"Well I'll have to resort to my former hobby." She murmured slyly under her breath.

The twinkle in his eyes immediately dimmed as he directed a stern, flat look up at his girlfriend.

"No." He stated firmly with a wide shake of his head. "Absolutely not."

"Steve it's not even like a big thing, I'll just take a quick peak, gather what I can, they won't even know—"

"No." He cut into her words. Olivia pouted under the spotlight of his grim expression.

"Olli, we agreed that I am not going to ask you to do anything that would end up putting you in danger, we already lived through that and I have no intention of going through it again." He reminded unyieldingly.

"It's not even the same situation." She uttered factually.

"I don't care." He grumbled dismissively.

Olivia sighed, her shoulders slumping in defeat realizing that her boyfriend was refusing to budge on the matter. Throne never considered herself to be someone who needed another man's permission to do what she wanted, but Steve wasn't just any other man. She loved him and trusted him and he trusted and loved her, she didn't want to do anything that would risk that. However, the rejection of the idea did hit harder than she expected, Steve was quick to notice.

"Olli." He called his voice loving and apologetic. She raised her gaze and their eyes met. Steve gently cupped the side of her face, the padded base of his thumb stroked soothingly.

"I know you are doing everything you can, I love you so much for it, but I don't want to risk you, ever." He confessed in a sweetly caring tone that made her heart squeeze in her chest. He leaned over and kissed the tip of her nose, her eyes shut instinctively.

"We will find another way." He vowed confidently.

"What if there isn't?" She inquired meekly.

"There will be, have a little faith." Steve insisted, smiling dashingly up at her. "It might even fall right into our laps."

Olivia smiled and shook her head in amazement. Steve's unwavering optimism, she was either aroused or infuriated by it and in that moment, she was thoroughly stimulated.

"I am enjoying my position on your lap right now." She whispered, grinding gently against the growing length of him. Steve winced from the pleasure of her actions, his stomach clenched in want. Olivia grinned wickedly, delighted by his response and leaned down to brush her lips against his.

His hands slipped down her face, past her erect nipples and to the hem of her panty's.

"I think you would enjoy it more if you weren't wearing this." He murmured against her mouth while toying with the lining of her underwear. She stilled above him and their eyes met once more, he was caught under the wild heat swirling in her honey brown eyes.

"You smooth bastard." She muttered under her breath. Steve chuckled low and gathered her into his strapping arms.

* * *

Bucky sat in the passenger seat of the car. The beautiful snow-capped, mountains of Denver, escaped his notice as he continued to read his file.

Even though he had read the entire document front to back several times, he kept reverting back to it hoping for some flash of memory. It was like reading about a stranger, even the picture of him in his uniform was hard to recognize. The man carried his face but the reckless grin made him envious, there was a light in the man's eyes, a light he knew Hydra had extinguished long ago.

"If I haven't said it before, you look great in uniform."

He couldn't help but smirk at her teasing comment. He glanced at Jo from the corner of his eye before coolly looking to the file once more.

"This is all you found?" He asked, flipping through the pages.

"Well, it's nice to hear some gratitude." She grumbled with a wide roll of her eyes. "That's all I could get my hands on, the rest is strictly classified and considering I got fired and imprisoned my rep isn't what it used to be."

"Why were you imprisoned?" He inquired, shutting the manila file and placing a possessive hand over the folder.

Her blasé exterior tensed up a little. She averted her attention to the road and fixated her gaze on the asphalt.

"I betrayed Hydra-like I said." She responded too vaguely for the Winter Soldier.

"Yeah but how did you betray them?" He probed.

"I didn't carry out orders like I was supposed to." She said with a nonchalant shrug. "Guess I didn't feel like offing a school professor."

He blinked, surprised. "Your target was a professor?"

"Water under the bridge, you will meet him soon enough." She grinned, a soft glint lighting up her obsidian gaze. "He is going to help you get back your memories."

Bucky was suddenly consumed with a wave of jealousy. He didn't like the look in her eye, it was too devoted. The man she had spared clearly meant a lot to her. It didn't settle well with him that this Professor was the man they were destined to see.

"What is so special about this guy that made you betray Hydra?" He demanded, trying not to seem eager to know.

She didn't respond right away. The silence stretched on and he wondered if she hadn't heard him or chose to not answer. He observed her carefully, noticing the most subtle signs of her irritation, not at him but some past memory.

"I knew what Hydra was capable of." She began to say, her fingers tightening on the steering wheel, her knuckles whitening. "All the lies and the brain-washing. I thought I was excluded from it all. I was wrong."

Bucky eyed her with uncertainty. Part of it didn't make sense to him, if she had the ability to repel Hydra's mental hold like she had said, then how was she manipulated. Then again, Hydra had managed to influence an entire world without their lesser tactics. There was so much more that Buchanan wanted to know about the woman beside him.

"This is the place." She abruptly announced before he could voice his thoughts.

His attention immediately directed to the windshield. Jo was parking the car under a shade of pine trees. He observed the environment through his window. There was nothing but tall trees in every direction, no sign of a house or life anywhere.

He turned to question Jo only to find her exiting the car. He hastily mimicked her movements and hoped out of the vehicle before she locked the doors.

"Are you sure this is the place?" He asked stiffly as she led them through a trail between the trees. She suddenly stopped and studied her environment, she raised her head and her eyes narrowed up at a high branch on a tree.

Bucky eyed her speculatively and then the tree. What she was she staring at so diligently? His first assumption was a person hidden in the leaves, but there was none.

"Only one way to find out." She stated flashing him a grin and adjusted the strap of her bag far up her shoulder and then cupped her hands around her mouth.

"Ey you fuckers, home?" She hollered up at the sky.

Bucky tensed and glanced around awaiting danger from all sides. All he heard was the sound of chirping birds from above. He lowered his guard and shot the woman an infuriated glance that questioned her sanity.

"Polite as always, Jo."

He jumped at the sudden feminine voice that echoed around him. He didn't get a moment to voice his surprised when the ground a few feet in front of him began to rise up. It was a metal plank of some kind that revealed a flight of stairs down into the earth.

Bucky eyed the passage hesitantly. Jo stepped forward and he was tempted to stop her. She placed her foot on the first tread and the hole abruptly flickered with a white light that remained stagnant, illuminating the space and causing the shadows to recede. Bucky approached from behind her and peered into the opening. The stairs were made of cement and they seemed endless.

She walked ahead and Bucky reluctantly followed, once they were deep enough the door behind them closed automatically. He tensed on reflex and turned back to watch as the trees disappeared from his view. His heart was racing; he began to wonder if he was being extremely gullible in following the woman into an enclosed environment.

"Oi." Bucky felt a sudden surge of electricity run up his arm. His attention immediately shot down to find her gripping at his strong wrist with her nimble fingers. His gaze snapped to her face, she was staring up at him from a lower step, her eyes wide in concern.

"Claustrophobia acting up?" She asked softly.

"Unfamiliar environment." He murmured gruffly, surprised by her caring tone. He was eyeing her hand on his, his pulse galloping in amazement. She acted like it was perfectly normal to touch him in such a manner.

"Ah." She nodded in acceptance. "Ten more steps and we enter the corridor, it's around twenty feet long and there are two rooms on the left and right side. It was a bomb shelter the previous owner had converted into a post-apocalyptic life in house, real zombie invasion protection style. There is a kitchen, four bedrooms and bathrooms, a living room and a kitchen."

She explained and then released him. The breakdown of the quarters did help ease him a little; he managed to relax his taut expression. She turned away and then continued her descend down the stairs. Bucky lingered behind, lost a little in the amazing moment he had just experienced.

He raised his bionic arm and gazed upon it as if it was made of flesh and bone once more. Her brief touch had sent such an expected jolt of electricity through him. He actually felt a warmth, the pressure of her finger tips, something he never thought possible with his metal arm.

He knew what had caused it, it wasn't some miracle. Her powers had subconsciously affected his circuitry somehow. He liked the rush, his arm no longer felt like a machine, an appendage of war, it felt real and a part of him, he wanted to feel it again.

He hurried after her, the soles of his boots hit the cement heavily. The corridor lit up the moment Jo stepped into the hallway and they were forced to halt when they found themselves facing the barrel of a gun.

"Surrender your weapons."

It was a woman. She was heavily built and pale. She was dressed in a coffee coloured tank top with grease stains and had a rifle aimed confidently at them. Bucky took in her grim expression, her slanted eyes were glaring fiercely, mainly at him. Her dark hair was a chaotic bush that framed her round face.

The rifle was enough to intimidate him but he figured if she was taller, it would have been worse.

"SeriouslyJude?" Jo echoed in disbelief.

Jude's piercing dark eyes moved to Joanna and her features softened slightly but still remained tense.

"You are not the problem here Jo, you know I don't trust your boyfriend." She snapped spitefully. She averted her attention back to Bucky and snarled.

"Weapons! Now, Full Metal!"

The Winter Solider bristled, he never took such an order lightly, but at the same time he pitied the woman. She was scared; he saw it behind her brave façade. Her gaze would ever so subtly flicker to his metal arm, unnerved at the sight of it.

Bucky reached to his side, ready to disarm himself when Joanna abruptly stepped in front of him, blocking the barrel of the gun from his chest.

"He doesn't know who you are, and you've forgotten that he is the weapon." Joanna's words were cold and incised. Bucky was alarmed by the statement, he had met Jude before? The woman did seem familiar, like a face he once passed on the street.

"Hydra can't come in here; you know the man is wired," Jude responded heatedly.

"Hydra isn't tracking him."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes," Joanna concluded confidently, glowering down at the female.

Bucky eyed her. How was she so sure? Was she stopping some sort of signal that he wasn't aware of? He was tempted to ask, but Jude still had her gun aimed at him.

"Come on Jude, knock it off. You are harshing my vibe." Jo exclaimed and slapped the weapon to the side. Jude frowned but reluctantly lowered the gun but still kept it hugged to her side, ready to use when necessary.

"Hey, Jo!"

Bucky was distracted from the glowering female when another person approached from down the corridor. It was a man in a wheelchair. He was dressed in blue and white plaid top with black jeans. He had a square face and a coltish frame and rather feminine features for a man, long lashes, a winning smile and a sharp pristine nose. Wisps of warm, walnut brown hair escaped from beneath the grey beanie the man wore.

Bucky eyed him speculatively; there was something odd about the young male. He couldn't quite place his finger on it.

"Jacko!" Jo exclaimed heartily and eagerly approached the man. Jack's grin widened when she leaned over and hugged him tightly around the shoulders, he returned the embrace abashedly.

"Nice to see a friendly face." She mused patting him lovingly on his clean shave face and then directing a snide look at Jude. The woman rolled her eyes and walked past them and disappeared down the corridor.

"Yeah," Jack smiled in agreement as Jo pulled away and gazed down at him.

"I see you've joined the cripple's club." He observed, noting her oddly slanted posture.

"Har har," Jo grumbled earning a laugh from the man.

Jo was thankful that Jack was more hospital than his bunker mate. Jude left them a while back without a word. Jo tried not to hold it against her and instead focused on Jack's tour of the place.

She had been there before; in fact, she was the one who paid the bills to refurbish the place. There were a few new adjustments, like a game and TV room. It was filled with the old arcade games and a large flat screen TV, the furniture was all leather upholstery and the walls were rich velvet red, kinda like the movie halls. Jo loved it and couldn't wait to lock herself in that room for a while.

Jack showed them their sleeping quarters for the night. Their rooms were side by side. They were each given a single bed and a table in muted shades of grey that matched the dark cement walls. Jo was a little deterred by the sight of them, the room reminded her too much of her cell on Mt. Charteris. She didn't voice her displeasure and thanked Jack for his hospitality.

Jo was very aware of Bucky's gaze. He was studying her with shivering eyes as if seeing right through her lies and the core of her fears. She had grown accustomed to feeling so naked around him before, but it's been three years of solitude, she had forgotten how perceptive he was.

Jack suggested the settle in and wheeled off towards his lab. Jo masked her dislike towards the room and marched into the space before dumping her bag onto the mattress. She walked out and shut the door behind her and passed Bucky's room.

She spotted him surveying the room, checking behind the curtains and then inspecting his bed, searching for bugs no doubt. She smiled in amusement and chose not to comment and continue on her hunt for Jack.

She found him in his laboratory, behind a table pilled with rolled up blueprints, heft pieces of hardware and several cans of Dr. Pepper. The rest of the large room was fairly neat

Jack smiled in greeting in his usual cheeky way that Jo found highly contagious. She beamed and pulled up a nearby chair and straddled it.

"So clearly we are not that welcome here." She mused while watching him fiddle with an oddly shaped, gear of some kind in his hand. "So Winter's and I will just collect my things and skedaddle."

"Jude is just being herself, she doesn't mean it."Jack insisted, worried about the intention in Jo's words.

"I bring trouble to you guys, I get it." She said trying to seem nonchalant. "The only people who are safe to hang out with me are the ones who can take care of themselves."

"You mean, Winters." He countered, she nodded pensively.

Jack eyed her features, staring grimly at the vivid purple bruise that covered her eye socket down to her high cheek bone. The wound was ugly and made Jack internally wince just thinking about the pain. Her lower lip carried a sliver of a cut, judging from the wetness of her lips he knew she had been tonguing the lesion frequently.

"Did he?"

From the doleful look in her eye, he knew he didn't even have to full voice his question.

"It was an accident." She said averting her gaze to her arms that she had bent over the head of the chair.

Jack frowned experiencing a wave of resentment for the former assassin of Hydra.

"That's what they say in the beginning-"

"It was an accident." She cut in firmly, directing him a coolly cut glare. "He was having a nightmare."

He fell silent and then nodded in an apologetic understanding. Jo was strong; she wasn't the type of person to tolerate violence towards her, especially from a man. Jack knew he knew her well enough; maybe it truly was a mishap. He was aware of the Winter Soldier's unstable condition; it was what worried him the most, being under the same roof as someone unpredictable.

He hoped Joanna made the right decision in bringing him along and them for letting him in. But this was so typically Joanna, trying to find solutions to problems that aren't even hers; it was both admirable and exasperating.

"And you tired to fix things like you always do." He sighed looking at her. "Maybe you should give someone else a turn."

"What do you mean?" She murmured, resting her chin on her forehands.

"Your leg." He said gesturing to the leg that she had stretched to the side.

"I can fix that."

"Ten bucks says you are wrong." She argued.

"Get that ten buck shit outta here, you either go big or go home." Jack snorted earning a laugh from her. But there was more than just mirth, there was hope shining in her guarded obsidian eyes, he was glad to bring that in her.

"You are awfully confident." She noted in a sultry tone. Jack blushed, despite having years of getting used to Joanna's bold, flirtatious ways, he was still unaccustomed.

"So three years in the cell eh?" He asked diverting the question. "Jude has been dying to share some music with someone."

"I thought she hated my guts." She grumbled with a sardonic smile.

"She doesn't." Jack insisted kindly. "She is just guilty for the way she reacted, what happened to Dev wasn't your fault but you know how—"

"I know," Joanna mumbled gravely, uncomfortable under the topic of discussion. Jack's heart went out to her, pitying the guilty look in her dark eyes. He reached out and gently placed his hand on hers. The touched snapped her out of her stupor and their gazes met. He smiled lovingly.

"She will come around, so hang for a while yeah?" He asked almost pleadingly. Joanna couldn't help but smile at her friend's endearing ways and nodded hesitantly.

Joanna was lost in her thoughts the entire way back to her bedroom. She was thinking about the last time she saw Jude and Jack, how different things were then. They had been running for their lives, this was nothing new to her but for the lab geeks it was like watching a baby deer trying to walk for the first time.

Hydra had caught on to the fact that Jack and Jude were helping Joanna out. She had to get them out first before completing her mission, they got out but there were casualties. Ben, he was an agent of Hydra and Jude's lover. Joanna knew the man was too committed to the enemy to see the truth, he had tried to sell them out and Joanna had to be the one to stop him.

The memory of pulling the trigger continued to haunt her. Jude was crying in a mix of shock, anger and sadness. Jo was willing to take the heat from Jude, she felt like she deserved it, she had pushed them too hard and in the end, the mission wasn't even a success.

A heavy, miserable sigh escaped her lips as she tread her fingers up her hairline and into her thick locks. Joanna was dying for a drink to numb the ache in her heart and face. She hoped they kept the kitchen stocked, Vodka sounded amazing in that moment.

"Have I hurt them?"

Joanna was startled out of her turbulent thoughts by Bucky's voice. Her head snapped in his direction only to discover she had wondered into his room. It was almost laughable.

 _I guess old habits do die hard._

"What?" She asked, having missed his question. He was standing beside his bed, dressed down in a pair of loose grey pants and a black wife beater. She was a little caught off guard by the sight of his impressive upper body. His arms were always a weakness for her, that and his wit. The latter seemed to be lacking lately, but she knew in time he would warm up to the banter.

"Jude and Jack." He repeated grimly. "Have I hurt them?"

She felt her heart melt a little at the woeful, vulnerability in his eyes. She truly couldn't imagine not having any memories; she relied so much on facts and her mind, which was her weapon. She immediately felt the need to reassure him but be honest at the same time.

"Not exactly." She said. "You scare them; you will come to find it's a natural reaction to most people."

Her frankness surprised him but it was always what made him trust her answer. He was relieved, he didn't hurt them at least that put him at ease. He also wondered if when she meant 'most people 'was she excluding herself?

"Not you?"He voiced his thoughts.

"Relatively, you hear stories you know?" She responded with a casual shrug of her shoulder. "But I have this problem where I am fascinated by the mysterious and you certainly fit that category until I found out what an annoying asshat you really are."

"Annoying?" He echoed in amusement.

"Yeah man." She drawled a sudden exasperate pitch in her voice.

"You kept making me do all these drills, burpees, planks and pushups, pissed the hell outta me." She exclaimed with a wide lift of her arms to express her outrage. "No sixteen year old likes being forced to work out at five in the morning in Russia of all places."

Bucky bit his lower lip, resisting the urge to chuckle, this surprised him even more, it had been a while since he wanted to laugh. At least, it felt like a while. That familiar warmth filled his chest once more and he found himself stepping to her in magnetic attraction.

"You were obviously vocal about it." He mused like she had complained to him before.

"Obviously." She grumbled slanting him a sardonic look. Bucky found himself smiling and there was a flicker of surprise in her eyes that transformed to longing. He was caught under the spell binding look and didn't want to turn away.

She was the first one to break the connection and averted her attention to the floor almost shyly.

"So Jack wants to do me a solid by helping me out with this bum leg of mine." She mumbled, lightly slapping at her left thigh. Bucky's attention flickered to her limb before looking to her again.

"It will end up delaying us for a day or two, are you cool with that?" She asked gazing up at him.

Bucky contemplated her request. His first thought was to insist they keep moving; after all, they only stopped by because she had to pick up a few things.

However he was ignorant of her struggle, he saw the pull of tension in her face every time she took a step, and her leg pained her more than she cared to show. He didn't feel like denying her much at this point, he was already living with the guilt of having struck her during one of his violent nightmares.

"Your leg would slow us down even more right?" He responded teasingly. She deadpanned.

"Thanks," Jo grumbled bitterly under her breath earning a satisfied smirk from him. She eyed him curiously for a moment before snorting in delight.

"I'm going to go find some food." She announced as her gaze travelled across his room before returning to him.

"You all good here?"

He nodded but he didn't want her to leave but he didn't want to tell her either. Bucky watched as she turned away and limped towards the door. The sight of her effort made him want to ask her the question that was gnawing him at him since they first met.

"Jo." He called gently.

"Yeah?" She hesitated and turned to him.

"What happened?" He asked tentatively.

"I'm hungry, man. It's a natural reaction." She countered with an innocent heave of her shoulders.

"I meant your leg." He mentioned gesturing a finger at the appendage.

"How did it happen?" He inquired again.

Joanna stiffened at his questioning and her attention immediately fell to her leg that she had posed at a slant. Bucky watched her very carefully, hyper aware of her solemn expression.

"The usual, trying to win a losing battle." She muttered under her breath like it was no big deal. "I think it would have healed just fine if I didn't get captured. They didn't exactly let me heal, torture is stressful."

He winced at the thoughts and his metal fingers clenched automatically at the rage that filled his veins. He wasn't expecting that, the random anger he felt for ill will that wasn't towards him. He cared for her. He figured he always had and it was beginning to resurface, mainly because was allowing it to.

"What did they want to know?" He pressed on.

Jo had a dazed look in her eyes like she was in some far off dark place that was just hers. He wanted to be there with her, hold her hand and help guide her out of it. She raised her head and met his stare firmly. They were guarded and cold, the gates to the shadows were shut tight and she did not plan on letting him thorough.

She grinned heedlessly in a way that made his heart race, but he knew it wasn't a real smile. He didn't know how but he knew she was faking it.

"I am all down for therapeutic talks with you handsome, but not tonight." She breathed wearily.

He acquiesced and nodded in understanding, mainly because her comment on his looks made his face redden. She flashed him one last grin and turned towards the door.

"Sweet dreams, gorgeous." She called out on her way out.

He stared at her longingly.

* * *

Valerie trudged up an unknown flight of stairs after Kevin. They entered a short corridor and she eyed the hallway uncertainly.

"Um Kevin." She called meekly grabbing his attention.

"Where are we?" She asked looking at him.

"Olivia's." He answered casually.

"Oh." Valerie's enthusiasm fell a little at the sight of Kevin's wide smile. They arrived at a door and Kevin rang the bell and they stood waiting for an answer.

Valerie watched him from the corner of her eye, wondering if she should ask the question that plagued her mind.

"Is she your girlfriend?" She asked, trying to seem nonchalant.

"No, she is Steve's girlfriend." Kevin chuckled.

"Steve?" Valerie echoed in wonder. "As in Captain America?"

"Yeah, I mentioned we are heading over to his place right?" Kevin responded dubiously, the auburn haired female gaped in disbelief.

"No, you kinda shut down after finding out your sister has been in New York when you were in Boston."

"Sorry, it was hard to process." He mumbled apologetically, his smile softening."Still processing."

Valerie's heart melted in pity for the man. She reached out and gently gripped at his forearm. The touch snapped him out of his stupor and their eyes met. Obsidian to amber. Valerie directed the sweetest smile up at Kevin; he felt a sudden warmth in his chest at the sight of her kind eyes.

"Hey, its okay. " She breathed stroking his arm. "Clearly there is more to this than any of us was expecting. Your sister is into some weird shit, but hopefully, she will still be your sister in the end?"

"Yeah." He laughed, humored by her comment. "Hopefully."

The worry was yet to ease, something told him that what he was about to confront Stark with wasn't going to end up pretty. Tony was hiding something and Kevin planned on getting to the truth, one way or another.

"Okay so a more important question." Valerie suddenly announced. She was fisting her fingers through her hair and then adjusted the hemline of her top.

"How do I look?" She asked. Kevin cracked a grin at her antics and she frowned insecurely.

"What? I am about to meet the hottest hero of the nation, I need to look presentable." She insisted with a haughty lift of her chin.

"We are not even sure if he is in." He noted.

The door suddenly opened and Olivia was surprised by the presence on the other end.

"Kevin!" She exclaimed enthusiastically.

"Olli hey!" Valerie stepped back in surprise when the two abruptly embraced. Kevin laughed merrily and released the short female before patting her on the back.

"How are you?" He asked as the woman ushered them into the apartment. Valerie was immediately greeted by a giant Master Chief poster. She wasn't much for video games but her cousin Skeeter was, she knew the chromic mask anywhere.

"Good, great. It's so nice of you to stop by, its been a while since—" Olivia's rambling came to a halt when she wheeled around and spotted the red head.

"Hello." Olivia breathed in wonder.

Valerie blushed under the attention and gave a short wave of greeting.

"Hi."

"Olli this is Val, she is a—" Kevin struggled to decide how to introduce Valerie. Admitting her to being a friend would be far too soon, he hated that he had to hesitate but the realization that he still didn't trust her, crept up on to him.

Valerie's abashed smile fell and her gaze lowered awkwardly as Kevin continued to stutter. She tried not to be so deterred by it, but it couldn't be helped at this point. She suddenly felt like she didn't belong and was desperate to run out.

"Skeeter's cousin." He finally managed to say, gesturing to her.

"Cousin?" Olivia echoed in bewilderment. "How come we never met?"

"I saw you disappearing out the door once; you had the cutest bag with a cat on it,"Valerie explained.

Olivia's honey brown eyes immediately lit up at Valerie's words.

"Oh if you like cats then you are going to love Anakit."She exclaimed and escorted them through the short hallway.

"Come on in." She insisted as they entered the living room.

Kevin and Valerie took a seat at lemon yellow, round table by the window. It had four wooden tables that were a deep mahogany colour and compliments the bright table well. Valerie was admiring the adorable apartment with a fond twinkle in her eye. She rested her bag on top of the table and that's when the glittering, golden vase caught her eye.

"I am sorry if we are disturbing a busy day." Agent Odell spoke up apologetically when Olivia took a seat on the chair beside the male.

"Nonsense, I'll always keep time for you, Kev." She insisted kindly with a dismissive wave of her hand. "Though I should tell you that Steve isn't home yet, but he should be in a few minutes."

"Great," Kevin grinned in relief; he didn't know how he could take another rejection from an Avenger.

"I have to talk to him about a lead on my sister." He explained to Olivia. Her dark brows lifted up in amazement from behind the frame of her glasses.

"You finally got a lead?!" She awed. Kevin nodded and parted his lips to begin the story but Olivia suddenly made a wide gesture with her hands, forcing him to still.

"Wait don't tell me, saves time to tell us both at the same time." Kevin shrugged and then nodded in agreement, it did save time to tell both of them. Olivia beamed and then looked to her guests.

"Do you guys want something to drink? I made lemonade." She announced while rising to her feet.

"Yes please." Valerie pleaded before Kevin could. It was practically a heat wave outside in the streets of Manhattan. The two were dying to be rejuvenated by a cold drink. Olivia saw the fatigue in their slumped shoulders and sweat slicked skin. She couldn't help but smile pityingly.

"If you want anything stronger I think I might have vodka on the shelf." She suggested cheekily. Kevin gasped out a laugh and shook his head insistently. Valerie, on the other hand, took Olivia to be partly serious, her eyes widened in alarm.

"Oh no thanks, I don't drink." She said firmly. "But lemonade sounds great."

Olivia uttered something with her same enthusiasm and hurried off to the kitchen but the words were lost to Kevin. He was too busy eyeing Valerie in wonder.

The Valerie he knew never passed up an opportunity to enjoy her favourite poison, and Vodka was her specialty. Drinking was one of her many problems and the root cause of it all, Kevin knew that better than anyone.

Anakit wailed from somewhere beneath Valerie's chair. The lady gasped in adoring surprise and was quick to bend over and gather the feline into her arms. Anakit curled up rather comfortably into the strange woman's hold like they were old friends. The feline raised its neck and rubbed his forehead under Valerie's chin, eliciting a giggle from her.

Kevin hated to admit it, her laughter still made him ache for her.

Their eyes met and she turned away, abashed, she knew he was thinking about her statement earlier.

"How long?" He asked softly, leaning in towards her.

"Five years and eight months." She confessed bashfully after a moment.

"Val, that's great," Kevin exclaimed his eyes a light with pride.

Valerie blushed but then a gentle, weary laugh escaped her lips. He studied her with a fond smile, wondering what she found so amusing.

"What is it?" He asked, leaning his upper body onto his strapping forearms. Valerie stopped giggle by the radiant smile still remained on her lips, making his heart race.

"I forgot how much I missed it." She said. "Hearing you call me Val. Like old times."

Kevin felt a pang of guilt hit him right in the heart. He lowered his gaze out of guilt and struggled to form words to explain his sorrow, mainly because he was conflicted. They both knew why he had been so cold towards her. Even if it was something that happened in the past, the tension still hung in the air, sometimes it would feel lighter, but in other moments it was thick and heavy.

The door suddenly opened, cutting Kevin out of his thoughts completely.

"Honey, I'm home!" They heard the good Captain announce. Valerie smiled in amusement and Olivia rolled her eyes while walking over to the table with a tray of lemonade filled glass.

"I do apologize for my goofball boyfriend." She mused teasingly and hurried off to welcome her love.

"Welcome back, babe. We have guests." Olivia was quick to announce just as Steve spotted Kevin and Valerie at the table.

"Kevin hey." Steve greeted as the agent stood up from his chair. Valerie practically shot up and stood, awkwardly mussing with her short hair.

"Hey, Cap," Kevin responded grinning at the Captain and reaching forward for a manly handshake.

"You are early," Odell observed. Steve laughed and then reeled Olivia closer to his side by an arm to her waist.

"Made a promise to my girl." He murmured lovingly, casting a glance at his girlfriend. Olivia beamed and playfully pinched his side. The Captain blushed and then looked to Kevin again, his fair brows creased in worry at the look of anxiousness in the man's eyes.

"Is everything alright?" The captain asked.

"We need to talk." Kevin said gravely. Steve fell silent and stared expectantly. Kevin quickly introduced Valerie who waved shyly in the Captain's direction. Steve smiled politely causing her to blush further.

"Val found a lead to my sister," Odell said, earning Steve's attention.

"Kevin that's great!" The Avenger exclaimed jovially, Olivia nodded along, equally amazed.

"Yeah it is." Kevin mused with a pained smile. "She is alive and last seen somewhere in Colorado."

"How do you know that?" Olivia asked.

"Don't judge but, Skeeter." He murmured sheepishly. "He found coordinates and all these formerly secured files, files that were accessible when SHEILD went down."

"Well I'm glad that worked out for you, so you know where to find her now?" Steve asked.

"Not exactly," Kevin grumbled.

"The plot just kept thickening, firstly the files were all taken and deleted, and then we followed a lead to this PR building only to find out she had been here sometime in the early two thousand six to seven." Valerie explained looking to the couple. "The last person who had come asking questions about her had been Stark."

"Tony?" Olivia echoed, confused. "He said he didn't have anything on her."

"I know." Kevin frowned and fixated a somber gaze onto the Captain. "He is dodging my calls Steve, and I didn't want to bother you man, but I am desperate."

"Of course." Steve insisted and squeezed the curve of Kevin's shoulder comfortingly. "Let's get to the bottom of this."

Kevin beamed, ecstatic that the Captain decided to help, though he already had no doubt about Steve rising to the occasion to help a friend in need. Odell pulled the folded sheet of paper from the depths of his pant pocket, straightened the creases and gestured the image to the Captain.

"Here." He said as Steve accepted the paper "This is what she looks like."

Rogers looked down at the picture and immediately went as rigid as a snowboard. Olivia was quick to notice her boyfriend's abrupt stillness. Kevin also absorbed the silent, wide eyed look of shock he directed down at the image.

"Steve?" Kevin called in concern. "You okay, man?"

"Olli, look at this." Captain stuttered out earning Olivia's attention.

"Oh my gosh." She gasped, mirroring her boyfriend's look of alarm.

"Where did you take this?" Steve demanded from Kevin.

Valerie and him exchanged bewildered gazes.

"Colorado, in a small town near Mount Charteris." She explained.

"That's where the base was." Steve murmured to Olivia who nodded in acknowledgement, still stunned by some unknown information.

"What is it?" Kevin demanded realizing that they were both eyeing the strange man beside his sister. Odell's pulse galloped in anticipation.

"Do you know who this guy is?" He asked, pointing to the paper, eager for answers.

"It's Bucky," Steve said.

"Who is Bucky?" Valerie questioned.

"The Winter Soldier." The Captain stated solemnly. Kevins eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets.

"As in Hydra's assassin?" He demanded in hushed amazement. "The one that tried to kill you and Natasha in Washington?"

Steve nodded in a vague response but his mind was far too cluttered with a million different questions. Bucky and Isabelle were linked somehow. How? It was all so coincidental and alarming, he didn't know how to process the information. But he did know what would help, more insight.

He raised his head, his jaw muscles clenched in determination.

"Let's go pay Stark a visit."


	6. Trouble

**Jo: Aw thanks, I wish I had a few more reviews though xD but I suppose these things take time.**

 **Oddball: Aww you got embarrassed over the R Rated scenes? So cute .. Unfortunately in our cinemas they were cut out all together which was a bloody shame. Yes Wolverine should have been included, but we can keep that spoiler between us ;). Jo does have history with the Xmen as I have implied ;). I always look forward to your long reviews, they keep me motivated so dont ever stop ^^. I hope you like the next two chapters and Tony/Jo history will be coming up shortly ;)**

* * *

 **Review please xx**

 **SSC**

* * *

Kevin, Steve and Valerie pulled up in Odell's black SUV at the gates to the Avengers HQ. They simultaneously stepped out of the vehicle and the Captain gazed up at the gates with his hands posed on his trim waist.

"I don't think anyone is home," Kevin observed through the gaps in the gate into the large lawn.

Ideally, there would be some indication of life within the tall skyscraper. Thor's lightening from somewhere within the indoor training ground, Hawkeye's arrow whizzing off into a distance or Falcon testing out his newest wings by flying around the building.

"Doubt it." The captain grumbled under his breath. He pushed open the gates with a fierce strength that startled Kevin and Valerie. The two stepped out of the man's way as Steve marched forward through the walking path and right to the front door.

"Jarvis!" He yelled out while stomping up the tiled steps.

Valerie's amber eyes darted about searching for the man that Steve was supposedly yelling at. There was no response and the Captain was agitated by the stillness.

"Jarvis you answer me when I am talking to you, son!" He barked out in the tone of authority that Kevin was accustomed to.

The intercom by the glass door came to life in the form of a faint, blue light.

 ** _"Yes, Captain?"_** Jarvis's disembodied voice responded rather meekly.

"Tony is home isn't he?" Steve demanded sternly.

 ** _"He told me not to let anyone disturb him."_** The AI answered reluctantly. **_"However, I did find it odd that you were included in this list."_**

Kevin rolled his eyes at Stark's childish methods of deflection. Steve was equally peeved.

"He is avoiding me, Jarvis. Leaving unanswered questions" Rogers grumbled under his breath. "You know I don't like being ignored when it comes to delicate matters."

 ** _"Yes, of course, Sir,"_** Jarvis said.

"So, will you let me in?" Steve asked, trying not to sound too hopeful.

 ** _"Yes, Captain."_**

The glass swung open without further restraint. Valerie was in awe over the whole display.

 ** _"You had me at 'Jarvis'."_**

Steve smiled amused by the AI's words and marched in with Kevin and Valerie hot at his heels.

Jarvis did more than just open the doors into the Headquarters. The AI operated the elevator to the floor Stark was on. The metal doors opened up into the main living area of the HQ. Their eyes wandered about the deserted couches and landed on the open kitchen in the dark corner of the lounge.

Steve was the first one to spot the philanthropist. The man was dressed down in a black wife beater and grey yoga pants. His was standing on his bare feet in front of the open fridge. His head of chocolate brown hair was in a disarray of a man who hasn't had a stretch of good sleep. He was in the middle of chugging from a carton of milk.

"Tony!" Steve exclaimed.

Stark choked on the drink, his brown eyes widened in shock as they settled on the enraged Captain that marched in his direction. The genius deadpanned, lowered the carton back into the refrigerator and then shut the door.

"That's it, Jarvis, you are fired," Tony exclaimed into the air.

 ** _"Oh dear, I would express my concern if I wasn't held here against my will."_** Jarvis's voice echoed within space. Valerie would have laughed at that if the situation wasn't so tense.

"We need to talk," Steve stated firmly, towering over the man in a mass of annoyance and muscle. Kevin was equally irritated, mainly from how calm Tony was.

"So I guess the jig is up," Stark mumbled under his breath. His jaded glance skimmed past the blonde and to Odell.

"Hey, Kev." He greeted and then looked to Valerie.

"And stranger." He noted.

"Valerie." Kevin introduced through gritted teeth before she could.

"Oh, Kevin's ex."

The two immediately blushed; Kevin was more scandalized than the woman.

"She is not my ex." He was quick to fire back.

"Right right, it's complicated." Stark drawled with a wide, sardonic roll of his eyes. Kevin was riled up at this point, Valerie knew that well enough from the twitching muscle on his defined jaw line. Steve spotted this too and decided to intervene before Odell lost his control.

"Stop avoiding the subject, Tony." The Captain stated grimly.

"You know why we are here."

"I know." Tony sighed the usual sense of cool in his eyes flickered away when they lowered in remorse. Stark exhaled once more, ran his palm down his weary face and then gestured to corridor that led past the kitchen.

"Step into my office." He insisted and guided them down the dark hallway and to his study.

The doors opened up into a wide room that resembled a library more than a lab where Tony created his inventions. The wall to the left was covered in a large, mahogany shelf, filled to the very last plane with books. The wall facing the door housed a large window with a wide view of the Manhattan skyscrapers.

"Isabelle," Kevin whispered in awe as he gazed upon all the pictures of his sister that were pasted among the clutter of papers. His amazement was only temporary, seeing all the scattered information and evidence of her being. His body was filled with an intense rage. His obsidian gaze darted to Tony who immediately tensed at the sight of the man's glower.

"It was you, you downloaded and deleted all the files on her." He hissed resisting the urge to pummel the billionaire. "You knew her, why didn't you say anything before?"

"Because I needed to get my own answers first," Tony argued.

Kevin couldn't bare the selfishness of that retort. He knew he would have hurt the male if Valerie hadn't gently clasped him around the wrist, seizing the trembling in his hands. Odell reminded himself not to lose his cool in front of a woman and took deep breaths to calm his senses. Stark eyed him unsurely and Steve stepped forward.

"What does that mean Tony?" Rogers asked, considerably calmer. "I asked you to help because Kevin needed it and you kept things from him?"

"It wasn't like that, I was trying to protect you," Stark exclaimed.

"From what?" Valerie hissed.

Tony frowned, his eyes shivering calculatingly. Kevin and Steve mirrored anticipating looks that gnawed at Stark's stubbornness.

"Your sister is an agent of Hydra." He stated with a heavy breath. "Or at least she was I don't know, she disappeared sometime in twenty ten."

Kevin paled at the news, his eyes misted over in dazed shock. _Hydra? The enemy?_

"I got all the info when SHIELD went down and all their secrets escaped onto the net. She was involved with Holiday's assassination and I am guessing from this picture. She had help."

Senator Jeffery Holiday. The man's death had caused quite the stir within the Congress. SHIELD had masked his assassination as an accident, over dose or whatever was more believable. They wanted to hide the fact that he was killed; there had been no clues to who had done it.

Ever since SHIELD files were leaked the world had discovered that Senator Holiday had been involved with a few dealings with Hydra, most likely a member. Maybe they were offing their own and had sent the Winter Soldier to do it.

But the idea that his sister had been there, involved in the killing, probably having done her own, made him dizzy.

"It said all that what you found?" Steve demanded.

"I put the pieces together," Tony responded.

"What about when she was here in New York?" Kevin added heatedly.

Tony sighed remorsefully and then averted his gaze. "She called herself Clara then and she was working at the public relations office."

"How did you two meet?" Kevin asked, his eyebrows furrowing, reading himself for the answers.

"At a party," Stark confessed. "Well actually in a bar first and then I saw her again at a party. She was something. Turns out she was something else."

Another huff of air left he man's lips, he was clearly uncomfortable with revealing his past with Isabelle to Kevin.

Odell, on the other hand, didn't know if he wanted to hear it.

"Look, Kevin, I didn't want to tell you in case you were not ready to hear this." Tony insisted in the most apologetic way Kevin had ever heard.

Kevin rolled his eyes utterly annoyed by Tony's need to walk on eggshells.

"She is a mutant Stark." Odell spat out gruffly. "I knew not to expect her to be the heir to the Genovian throne when I first started looking. I was ready for whatever there was to come. It certainly feels like you just didn't want to show the skeletons in your closet."

Tony was surprised by the man's outburst and so was Steve. The Captain had rarely seen Odell so vexed, let alone lash out. Kevin felt embarrassed and angry, he never enjoyed letting out his annoyance at anyone, but Stark had crossed a line.

Kevin spun around and marched out of the room, desperate for some air. Valerie stood unsure of whether to follow him or leave him to cool down for a few minutes.

"Cap," Tony called out, desperate to voice out his repentance, but Steve silenced the man with one stern stare.

"You really should have said something, Tony," Rogers stated. "To me at least."

"I didn't know about Bucky, I swear." Stark insisted, gulping down the guilt that made him nauseous.

"This is brand new information to me too!" He said pointing to the picture that Steve had angrily thrust into the inventor's hand.

Tony stared at the image for a few moments as if lost in some memory that continued to replay at the sight of her face.

"I...I really liked her. I was looking for her way before all of this and all of a sudden she just comes back."

"It doesn't matter now." Steve cut in briskly. "She is the best lead I've had to find Bucky and I am going to need everything to have on this girl. Don't you dare hold back on me Stark, I am not kidding around."

Tony didn't take the Captain's warning lightly and nodded in culpably.

Valerie was silently observing the images that were laid out before her. It was all of Isabelle dressed quite stylishly in different settings, fancy parties, and business meetings. It was so strange to see the woman, she seemed like any other thriving young woman trying to find a place in life. But Valerie knew beneath it all was an enigma, a mystery that continued on like a maze.

What more secrets did Isabelle Odell have?

Bucky woke up early as usual. His nightmares only allowed him a maximum of four hours of a sleep. It was still better than nothing.

It was cold that morning within the cement confinement of the bunker. He dressed in his jeans, maroon long sleeved shirt and combat boots. He exited his room and began to explore the household.

He found a box of cereal bars in one of the cupboards in the kitchen. It was oats with little chocolate chips. He loved it more than he cared to admit and munched on it while making his way to the lab. He was searching for Jo, she wasn't in her room. He wasn't accustomed to being the last one to wake up considering Hydra kept him on a cryo-state and woke him up whenever they pleased.

Jack was in there working on some metal, leather brace for a leg. He looked up from his work to acknowledge the approaching soldier.

"Morning Grumps." He greeted with a familiarity Bucky was no accustomed to.

"Morning." He responded coolly, his eyes darting about space.

The room was empty but the examination room seemed like it was recently used, the stretcher bed was a little ruffled. He eyed it with distaste, did they run experiments down here? He didn't like that it resembled his own private lab in his Hydra days, where scientists would poke and mend him.

"Have you seen Jo?" He asked determined not to dwell on his thoughts.

"Getting dressed, we just took her x-rays," Jack explained studying an x-ray sheet. Bucky was instantly intrigued and moved up behind the male to see the image too.

"What's the diagnosis?" He asked curiously.

"Trauma to the tendon and fracture in the patella. It had healed but not properly."Jack explained, his eyes flickering over the white outline of her bone structure. "Friction is what causes the discomfort and difficulty in mobility. She is one tough girl, this is no easy pain if I was her I'd be popping pills."

"Jo always had a high tolerance for pain," Bucky muttered under his breath.

"Yeah, you would know." Jack snorted in agreement.

Bucky hesitated. "I think."

Jack tensed and immediately wheeled around to face the cyborg.

"Hey, man I'm sorry. I forgot that you…forgot." He said apologetically. "What they did, it was cold."

"Yeah it was, extremely cold," Bucky said gravely and then smirked teasingly at the man.

"That was the problem."

Jack stared; stunned by the playful words, then he deadpanned and shook his head in amusement.

"You two really are chummy, you have her terrible humor." The man noted humorously.

"So I've been told," Bucky mentioned with a shrug.

"Is it hard to believe?" Jack asked.

"No." Bucky shook his head. "It's the only thing that feels believable at this point."

He was amazed by his own confession, but the moment he uttered the words they felt right. But at the same time he wanted to be stubborn about it, he learned long ago that people disappoint, it won't be long till he was wrong about her.

"How do you know Jo?" He asked looking to Jack.

"She hung out with us a lot," Jack said with a fond grin. "Jude and I were part of the science division. A lot of your modifications are actually Jude's creations."

Bucky nodded attentively and Jack continued his story.

"For some reason, Jo never got along with the rest of the agents, kept referring to them as the trigger finger zombies." He said. "We had to keep our friendship under wraps, though. Hydra doesn't like the idea of the brains and brawns fraternizing, everything is supposed to have its place."

"Jo didn't listen." Bucky meant to say the words as a question but it came out as a solid statement that Jack laughed too.

"She never does, that's what makes her different." He chuckled. "Like literally, she can't conform, it's a weird mental, mutant thing."

"But she still stayed?"

He didn't understand that if she had the ability to not fall for their lies. Why did she stay?

"Hydra is all she knows, all any of us knows really," Jack explained, seeing the confusion the soldier expressed.

The young man's face shadowed in a sudden dark, brooding intensity.

"They open up their doors like some sanctuary when really it's the birth of your destruction and the rest of the world. Just glad the world finally caught on."

"What did Hydra offer you for your soul?" Bucky asked.

"A sex change." Jack looked at him and smiled shyly.

"I was a Jackie before I became a Jack-o."

Bucky stared in amazement.

* * *

"Alright, this is going to hurt." Jack announced as he turned in his chair with the brace in his hands.

Jo wasn't allowed to sit for the procedure; she stood with Bucky at her side in front of the examination bed. Jack had ordered the Winter Solider to keep the woman steady. Jo had insisted that she didn't need to be man handled, but Bucky stayed close just in case, plus she smelt phenomenal that morning.

He cursed himself for sounding bizarrely creepy.

"You will be gentle won't you?" Jo whimpered batting her long lashes down at Jack. "It's my first time."

The younger male blushed at the teasing implication in the woman's act. Joanna grinned wickedly, thoroughly enjoying the reactions she had caused. Jude snorted in amusement and Bucky rolled his eyes. Jude was standing by in a safe distant, it was part of her invention after all, and she had to oversee the application.

Jack unhinged the buckles. Jo steadied the heel of her foot on the man's knee and he gulped nervously at the sight of her tone, athletic curves. Bucky was a little mesmerized by them too, more than seeing her in shorts. His dazed stare wondered up her sun-kissed complexion until they landed on her knee. The leathery patches of scars disarmed him for a moment. The wound looked bad, painful; he wondered if the ache was worse.

Jack steadied the brace over her knee, fitting the mask over her kneecap. He hesitated when he had to lock the metallic straps in place and Jo rolled her eyes.

"Stop being so meek Jack, I can take the- JESUS CHRIST!" She screamed startling Bucky out of his thoughts. Jack had suddenly locked the clips in place and the pain that shot up her leg to her brain was immense.

Bucky was shocked into attention and immediately reached out to her. She clasped her hand around his bicep and squeezed tightly. Her eyes were pinched shut and her expression was tight in agony.

"Fuck fuck shit fuck fuck!" She continued to curse under her breath, winded by the pain. "Oh God, that fucking hurts."

Bucky was flooded by a wave of concern. He braced his hand on the curve of her shoulder and squeezed gently. Her tense posture relaxed a little, comforted by his touch; his fingers moved and massaged the stress from her shoulders.

"Swearing helps elevate the pain, keep going." Jack insisted kindly, waiting for the hurt to pace.

Her eyes snapped open and she aimed a fierce glare at the male.

"Fuck you, Jack." She snapped wearily with tear-brimmed eyes. It was humorous and hardly threatening, both males grinned at her antics.

"Okay." She sighed after a moment, shaking her head.

"I feel a little better."

"Try not to move just yet." Jack cautioned.

"Hold her steady dude." He ordered Bucky.

"She is the one holding on, you mind retracting those claws?" Bucky directed his question at Jo. He tried to sound annoyed but the words came out a lot more playful than he intended.

Her eyes widened in alertness. Her attention immediately snapped to her hand that he had on his arm, gripping tightly, her fingernails had dug into his skin.

"My bad." She apologized, returning her hand to the table. She flashed him a reckless grin, her eyes glittering

"Your body was used to my scratches anyway." She murmured huskily. Bucky stared stunned as his face began to redden once more. She held his shivering stare challengingly, expecting him to say or do something.

"Flex your toes for me." Jack's order snapped them both out of their ogling. Joanna coolly moved her attention back to her leg but Bucky was more flustered.

He stared as she did as she was asked. Her toe twitched and then curved down with ease. Jack smiled, satisfied and then moved his gentle touch up her shin.

"Now bend your knee." He said.

Bucky felt her body flinch when she bowed her leg by the knee, but then when she repeated the movements it was a lot more fluid. Joanna was blinking in wonder as her leg operated normally.

"Any pain?" Jack asked, observing her.

"Just a little tight and ache, but nothing immense." She mumbled under her breath, a little awed by the sight of her working limb.

"Great."He enthused. He cautiously lowered her leg to the floor and then wheeled back to allow her room.

"Try it out." He insisted gesturing to the tiles.

Bucky was still holding on to her, one hand on her arm while his metal one was steady on her mid back. Joanna had returned her hand to his shoulder instinctively as she stood on her feet again.

Joanna had expected a jolt of agony to consume her mind and make her eyes prickle like earlier, she was overjoyed by the lack of it.

"Aw shit." She breathed out in amazement. There was no pain of any kind. She began to pace and was in awe at how easily she walked, no limping, no shooting pains.

The excitement that filled her body was hard to contain, she practically threw herself at Jack.

"Thank you, Jack, I owe you big time!" She exclaimed and planted a sudden, unexpected kiss to the man's mouth.

She released the bewildered man and threw her arms around the reluctant Jude and hugged her tightly. Jude patted Joanna awkwardly as Bucky watched from the background, amused by the display.

"It was nothing." Jack insisted bashfully as Joanna ruffled his mop of hair.

"Check me out, Grumps!" She exclaimed practically twirling around the brooding Winter Soldier.

Jack sat in his chair and laughed, humored by Jo's prancing. He was delighted that the brace was a success.

"I hope you are happy, you inflated that impossibly large ego of hers even more," Jude grumbled from beside him. The man cast a lazy look in her direction but his smile didn't falter once. He continued to watch Joanna as she interacted with Bucky who seemed quite fascinated by the brace on her leg.

"I know." Jack murmured fondly. "But at least we got our fighter back."

Jude nodded her expression grim.

"We are going to need her." She murmured gravely.

"What do you mean?" Jack demanded, irked by her caveat tone.

"Come on, Jack." She groaned out exasperatedly as if he was a naïve five-year-old asking questions.

"When has trouble never, not followed those two?"

He bit his lower lip contemplatively as his gaze moved back to the former Hydra Agents, his eyes began to shiver in worry.


	7. Flirting

**_Jo: Well you know how it is, I jump from comedy to romance to tragedy,_** its ** _just how I_** be ** _and Bucky and Jo's story can be a little tragic. My B._**

 ** _Oddball: Aww chibi bucky and Jo! That's exactly how I pictured it too, never thought someone else would xD. Ugh Fifty Shades of Grey, girl that isn't sex that romanticised rape. Please update yourself on some good movies and books, not this Twilight-centric crap. Omg Civil War. My body does not feel ready, I am both nervous and excited, mainly because I am not close to being done with this story yet and I need to finish it before the movie because I_** dont ** _know whom_** Ill ** _be shipping after the movie. Be as protective as you want my dear, in_** fact ** _ill supply you with arms. I think unless you are some overlord, everyone is a prisoner of Hydra, order only comes with pain right?_** Anyway ill ** _be revealing more of Jo's time at Hydra once the story moves on. I hope you like this chapter too :D._**

Yay **two updates in two days.** Ill **try to get more out this week but I can't make any promises.**

 **xx**

 **SSC**

 **Please review.**

* * *

"Aw yeah."

Bucky didn't know how long he stood at the entrance to the large empty room within the bunker, leaning against the archway and watching her, but he knew it didn't stop being amusing.

Joanna was beyond ecstatic about her legs working properly again. She couldn't seem to stop expressing her happiness in the form of dance. Bucky didn't know much about music in this century, well…he didn't know much about the world. However, he was good at gathering clues, spotting patterns. When it came to music, Joanna was one big blueprint.

Hip hop was the term for the upbeat, rhythmic tunes that she enjoyed so jovially. He liked watching the way her entire body moved, taking up the entire space as her feet skidded across the floor. Her movements were most random but fascinating, especially when she began to sway her hips in the most mesmerizing fashion that had him a little weak at the knees and hard elsewhere.

Bucky crossed his arms over his wide chest, attempting to seem indifferent to her antics. His crystal clear eyes continued to rake over her athletic form. Joanna had dressed down to the fiery orange sports bra and black tights. The ends of her dark tresses were wet with sweat that glistened over her tan complexion.

It was all so familiar, he knew he had seen her train before, several times, mainly because she looked to be in her element, a fierce warrior that didn't see a battle only a playground.

He chewed the inside of his cheek contemplatively; he wished he could see the world in such a way.

"Man it feels good to be back on my own legs again." Joanna sighed out in gratification; grabbing his attention. His gaze darted back to the woman and Jo had turned to face him. She was grinning wide in that dazzling way that stunned him for a moment.

"I can finally build back the stamina I lost in prison." She declared.

"It's hard to believe you didn't put up a fight." Jack responded reminding Bucky of his presence. In truth the Winter Solider had forgotten that Jack was seated in his wheelchair, observing Joanna testing out the new addition to her leg. The scientist was taking notes on an A4 sized, spiral bound book. He had the stationary open across his lap but his attention was focused on the female.

"Oh I did, but their drugs were stronger." Joanna mused, her enthusiasm had dropped considerably.

"Helped numb the pain, though."

Jack's playful grin softened in concern. Bucky was intrigued as well.

"What did they do to you in there?" He asked gently.

Joanna shrugged and then brought her arms above her head for a long stretch.

"You know…what they usually do to people like me." She mumbled in a blase manner.

Bucky was quick to notice the way the man's face dropped in disappointment and slight hurt. Clearly the young man had been expecting the woman to open up to him, but at the same time he didn't seem all that surprised by the lady's nonchalance.

Jack nodded, muttered something inaudible under his breath and wheeled off towards the furthest wall of the room.

Buchanan's cool gaze drifted back to Joanna who twisted at the waist, seemingly unaware of Jack's retreat. Feeling confrontational he decided to leave the comfort of the entrance to approach her.

"Subtle." He grumbled reaching her.

"What?" Joanna responded lazily.

"How you avoid talking about your problems, I can really tell you are over it." Bucky groused his voice thick with sarcasm.

Joanna stilled, surprised by his blunt sardonic statement, then she slowly turned to face him. A smile of pure awe was frozen on her face, but her eyes shining haughtily.

"That's a lot coming from the man with ninety-nine problems." She bit back lightly, clasping her black, bandaged hands on her hips.

"But I can't remember each one." He reminded.

"Lucky." She teased. His eyes narrowed, he couldn't tell if she was reminding him of his insecurities out of spite or whether she was genuinely envious.

"So you tuck it all away in some corner of your mind?" He demanded. She nodded firmly. Bucky stepped closer to her, practically towering over her.

"You know its all going to come back in a flood and its going to hit you, hard." He warned. He had learned that the hard way in a midst of chaos. He didn't want to think about that day, or Steve. The gut-wrenching guilt that pooled in his stomach had returned, he didn't know how to make sense of it.

"I have outlets." Joanna stated stubbornly pushing back the despair and bringing about his annoyance.

"Like what?" He demanded hotly.

"Like this."

Bucky's eyes widened in shock when Joanna aimed a roundhouse kick right to his face. His instincts kicked in and he jolted into action. He ducked down and pushed off the balls of his feet and took several steps back. His feet spread apart to make a strong foundation as his arms bent up in a defensive maneuver.

"Oooo." Joanna whistled in amusement, her eyes were glimmering, impressed by his quick response.

"Almost got you there, hun." She taunted and began circling him like a hawk does to its prey. Bucky kept a steady eye on her, careful not to turn his back on her.

She flashed him a row of her gleaming white teeth. The smug playfulness in her grin disarmed him. He pushed back the awareness of his throbbing heart and instead focused on the fight she had catalyzed.

"Don't tell me age finally caught up to you, old man." She jeered. He scowled and shot forward.

Joanna dodged and blocked his attacks with an ease he was not expecting, it was as if she was extremely accustomed to his attacks. His enthusiasm to hurt her died down, he didn't know when but it somehow became a source of entertainment.

She was a talented fighter, he had seen flashes of her potential earlier but never at such a force. He learned quickly that Joanna was best with her legs. She was fast, a speed he had seen once before, but of course she couldn't reach the stamina of Captain America, but she was still close.

Amidst the several punches, kicks and blows they threw at each other, Bucky studied her other responses. She was studying him, her eyes darted about in a haste, accessing an attack before it arrived. He decided to test her a few times, spinning out his routine assaults and trying a new approach.

He did knock her hard every time he switched tactics, but the attempts were more taxing when she had already learned his new move brilliantly fast. They had worked each other up into a heavy sweat. The power in his attacks had begun to dim and he retreated to blocking.

Joanna aimed a hard punch to his face that Bucky caught easily. She quickly attempted to use her other arm which he also restrained. They were stagnant in a battle of strength as she attempted to regain her arms he had trapped between her fingers.

Bucky smirked clandestinely, arrogant in her troubles. She grinned and he was confused, why was she so smug?

Joanna suddenly leaned forward and kissed at the air just before his lips. He heard the smack of her lips as if they were on his skin. His cheeks flushed and he hadn't realized the shock had caused his grip to soften.

Joanna didn't waste time and ripped away from his grip and punched him hard in ribs. Bucky gasped out in pain and then she delivered an equally painful blow to his left side before pairing the combo with a sharp kick to his chest.

Buchanan stumbled back, clutching onto his side, breathing hard and blinking rapidly to rid of the pain that dulled his senses.

"I forgot how easy it is to distract you."

Bucky was bent over and panting, his knees shook but he refused to fall. Scowling from the blow of her attacks and words, he straightened his posture and aimed his fiercest glare at the female.

The power in his death glare died the moment his gaze fell upon her face. Beads of sweat littered her face, despite her exertions the cocksure glint in her eyes and winning smile was too charming.

He continued to scowl, ignoring the heart that raced for her.

"I forgot how cocky you are." He grumbled under his breath, wincing a little from the ache in his upper body.

She tilted her head to the side, her grin thinned down to taunting smirk as she studied him with her ebony eyes. She raised one dark winged brow up at him and pinned him under her state.

"Is that all?" She asked, her raspy voice was sinfully taunting. He didn't know whether he was aroused sexually or vengefully.

Her grin widened seeing the fire burning in his eyes.

"Come on, I'm getting sleepy over here." Joanna feigned a yawn into a tight fist, antagonizing him further.

Bucky pushed off his feet again and their dance of prowess began again. Joanna dodged and avoided his attacks but her gaze was steady on his most dangerous appendage, his metal arm.

Even though Bucky remembered very little of their time together, Joanna recalled every detail. His left arm had always been his backup. The right human limb was always on the attack, the one that grabbed the knife or pulled the trigger. Joanna had only seen him use his powerful arm when fighting a super, someone who needed the extra strength around.

She was trying to provoke him into tapping to that resource but he refused and she knew why. Her face was a haunting reminder of the hurt he had caused that night. It had only been four days since the incident. She still carried the pooling cuts and purple bruising.

She saw that each time he was tempted to use that arm, when the metal digits twitched, his clear eyes would flicker to her scars and his motivation to hurt her would drop tremendously.

She didn't know if she should be impressed or insulted. She chose to be astonished but Joanna had always been a fighter, she was trained by the best and she expected nothing less.

A heavy grunt left her lips when he managed to pin her up against a wall. He weighed her to the concrete surface with his metal arm across her chest. She panted, struggling against the load of his limb. Within milliseconds, she realized that it was a useless attempt and focused on aiming an attack to his side with her free arm.

Bucky anticipated the blow and easily caught her arm once more and slammed it to her side. She groaned from the jolt of pain, heavy rasps of breath left her lips as she raised her gaze to meet his.

Joanna knew a losing battle when she saw one. Sure she could have used up all the tricks he had taught her, or she had learned along the way. She could have head butted him, rendering him dizzy for a few moments before kicking him ferociously in the abdomen; anything from Krav Maga to Sambo in order to get out of his hold.

But it was hard to fight back when all she could think about was how handsome he looked up close. She knew it was a little twisted to be turned on by someone who looked livid, but Bucky wore his anger best. So she chose to continue baiting him.

"You used to be good at keeping me up." She teased once more. She expected a snort or one of his signature scowls. Instead, he stared at her for a moment, studying the mischief in her gaze before the emotion began to reflect in his blue eyes.

"To which way are you referring?" He murmured in a silken innuendo that sent shivers of delight down her spine. She was breathing hard from more than just the physical exertions.

He saw the feelings he had stirred no matter how hard she had tried to hide them. Strands of his dark hair fell over his crystalline eyes that were dancing with roguish intent. The banked sensuality in his glance nearly disarmed her. Waves of longing flooded her body, warming her skin, she had forgotten how much she had missed how he was, how they were.

She bit her lower lip. They were reaching dangerous territory where her mind would automatically let loose all the painful, wonderful memories she had of them just to torment her. She needed to take control of the situation before she submitted in more than just the battle.

Veiling her fear behind a look of sultry wickedness, she leaned in while holding his stare and said.

"I think you mean vice versa, hun."

Bucky hadn't realized he was smirking until the muscles of his face abruptly relaxed from the shock. He stiffened at the honest suggestion in her words. She wasn't wrong and it irked him that he knew how much he wanted her, more than how much the intensity of his need confused him.

She found opportunity in his moment of stun to get out of his hold by kneeing him right in the abdomen. Bucky grunted from the pain and instead of trying to soothe the pain like his instincts told him to, he used his arm t block the second blow she aimed to his face.

He grabbed her in time and held tightly before bending forward and tossing her over his shoulder. Her back made hard impact with the ground and Bucky heard Jack yell out in the background. The man had been observing their battle and was highly entertained when Joanna was thrown to the floor.

Bucky ignored Jack and moved towards her. He was panting hard the same as her. They were both spent and weary from a fight that would clearly have no end. He was amused by this; it was more than just a battle of stealth and prowess. It was wit too.

He stood beside the bend of her waist as she struggled to even her breathing. Her eyes were pinched shut, experiencing the last waves of pain that throbbed through her body. He was a little remorseful and wondered if he had injured her.

His broad body had casted a shadow over her under the powerful white lights on the ceiling above. He stretched out his arm in assistance and she looked at him from beneath lazy slits.

Joanna jolted into a seated position at a rate he wasn't expecting. The sudden movements startled him; it was as if something had randomly stung her.

"What is it?" He was quick to demand, urged by her concerning ways.

She shook her head to dismiss his worry but he noticed how she was eyeing his glinting arm.

"Nothing." She insisted lowering her stare to the ground.

"I'm fine." She murmured. Bucky frowned, she was lying. He wanted to question her but she reached for his arm and gripped his open palm tightly. The question left his mind at the feeling of her warm touch. He grasped sternly and pulled her up to her feet.

"Great workout, Barnes." She commended while pinching at some ache in her knee. He eyed her unsurely, wondering if she was masking her pain once more.

She flashed him a reckless grin that drew his attention away from her leg. She smiled and patted him on his left pectoral in hearty thanks.

"Let's incorporate weapons next time." She suggested and returned her hands firmly to her hips.

"You can't take me in hand to hand combat, how are you going to manage weapons?" He taunted a ghost of a smile playing at his lips, deepening the creases around his mouth.

"Um, rude." She chimed, her eyebrows furrowed in displeasure. She strolled past him, purposefully ramming her shoulder into his as she continued on his path.

Bucky found himself staring after her once more but watching the sashay of her shapely hips like a man desperate for mercy.

"You smell." Joanna was hit in the face with a fresh, clean, white towel and Jack's blunt statement.

"Thanks, Jack." She grumbled while wiping her damp face into the dry, coarse material. She made her way out of the gym with him trailing behind her. She felt strange walking away from Bucky, especially since the sexual tension that stirred between them usually ended up with them behind closed doors.

She had felt him watching her, like invisible hands stroking her body. She ached for his hands, sure one of them lacked the sensual, warm touch but she didn't mind, she wanted more than just his body and that made it worse.

"Jude has this shampoo that smells like water lilies, amaaaazing." Jack announced grabbing her attention from the brooding soldier.

"Yes, I am into that." She chimed in excited for a shower and indulging in some girly products. She was reminded of the list of hair products her hairstylist had recommended her to buy. Joanna loved to indulge in ways to pamper herself. She was excited for her next chance to spend the day in a salon.

"So, things are looking good." Jack mused slyly.

"Yeah I know, you guys have hot water right? And those jets? I specifically told the contractor I wanted jets in the tub." Joanna rambled on oblivious to the implication in his tone.

"Not that." Jack scoffed. "You and Winters."

"What about us?" She demanded, trying to seem cool about the inquiry.

"You were flirting again." Jack teased and then chuckled. "Well, I assume that's how you two flirt."

"I prefer to call it having sex with my clothes on." Joanna boasted bawdily.

"Nice." Jack laughed at the enthusiastic way she pumped her arms. "But it's good right."

"Yeah." She mumbled with a dazed smile, but the moment of bliss fell when she was reminded of her insecurities. "But I'm wondering if it's a good idea to interact so much with him before taking him to the professor. What if something I do or say ends up bringing back all his memories."

"Isn't that a good ting?" Jack questioned tentatively.

"No." Joanna stated while shaking her head firmly, her expression grim."There has to be an order, something happened in the past that he—If he remembers it too soon then it's not going to end well."

Jack didn't know what Joanna implied with her words or what lurked beneath her hesitation. But Jack had a faint idea to what moment she was referring. He knew how to clues together, he always loved puzzles and Joanna was a big one.

Jack had a strong feeling something terrible had happened that first time Joanna attempted to rescue Bucky from the hell hole that was Hydra. Trying to save her was what got her locked up in the first place, Jack knew this because he was there desperately trying to escape in the chaotic distraction that Joanna had caused, allowing Jude and him to run free unnoticed.

She had saved their lives but in turn lost three years of hers.


	8. Lesson

OddBall: OMG what a coinkydink, first time I saw Chris was on FF too. I actually thought he played the character really well and i loved the movies, I dont get all the negativity, I wouldnt write fanfcition for it if I didnt like it. ^^ I love that you have so many questions and I would love to answer them but they will all be answered via story. SO SUFFER (but I mean that lovingly =3) Everyone regrets reading Twilight, me especially .. Oooo I think my favourite marvel movie is Winter Soldier, it had a lot of things I loved about superhero movies. First Avenger is second :D. Your first R Rated movie was Snow Piercer? O.o how old are you? Mind was Desperado (mmm Antonio Banderas) I first loved superhero's through Spiderman from what I recall. Toby amm I right? But the 3rd movie was terrible :/

Jo: lol a lot of things are coming ;) Keep reading :D.

xx

SSC

* * *

Jack had been bothered by Joanna's

"Ju-ju." Jack exclaimed barging into the Jude's work space.

"What?" She grumbled in the middle of attaching a few wires to a metal appendage of some kind.

"What's with the hissing Ka?" He inquired, rolling over to her and a little hurt by her tone.

"You only call me that when you want me to do something I don't want to do." She reminded vaguely.

"Yes and no." Jack uttered sheepishly, earning a eye roll from her. "I don't want you to do this but I am just here to recommend you do."

"You want me to talk to Jo." Jack wasn't surprised by how quickly Jude predicted what he was hinting to.

"I know you are not completely up for it, but find it in your heart to—"

"Okay."

However, he was flabbergasted by how quickly she agreed to the suggestion.

"What?"He demanded in awe.

"Okay?" She responded slowly and gave him a look that seemed to question his intelligence.

Jack couldn't stop himself from beaming up at Jude. Despite the glimmer of amusement in her eyes, she wore her usual annoyed scowl.

"Don't look so smug, I was gonna anyway, bought a bottle and everything." She insisted a little abashed by the confession.

Jack found this thoroughly adorable.

"Yay."

 _ **Meanwhile at Central Park.**_

"Hey kid. "

B groaned and rolled away from insistent, hard poking to her side. The surface she slumbered upon was uncomfortable and alien, she was immediately stirred awake. The harsh mid-morning sun pierced between her eyelids making her eyes water.

"You can't sleep here kid." She heard that same annoying, masculine, nasally tone, insist.

"Kid." He reminded once more with a swift nudge to her side. Her eyes snapped open, flashing green and she sat up before averting her glower up at the male. It was a police officer, dressed in his dark blue uniform and cap. He was on the plump side with thick, black eyebrows, round chubby face with beads of perspiration over his upper lip.

"Poke me again and I will dislocate that arm of yours." She warned with an edge in her voice. The man was startled by the venomous words .He recoiled his arm, but he frowned stubbornly.

"I am going to ignore that attitude on the account of you being a minor." He muttered irately. "Where are you parents?"

"My parents?" She echoed in disbelief.

"Do I look like I am five to you?" She snapped spitefully while gripping at the edge of the surface she was on. B was struck out of her indignation when she realized she was resting on a wooden, park bench. She stared down at the dark, detailed slab of timber wondering frantically how she got there.

"This isn't funny, kid." The policeman continued to lecture, grabbing her attention. She raised her gaze to him and he pinned her under a stern look.

"Are you here alone? Where is your mommy or daddy?"

"Excuse me?" She hissed, scandalized by his patronizing questioning.

The office gaped and then his lips twisted in a prepared retort, but then a sudden yell from the side distracted him.

"Sorry officer, she is mine."

B perked up at the sound of the voice to find her fellow mutant Ray approaching. She was a teleporting mutant and B figured maybe the woman had something to do with her current location. Ray was a tall female, with inky black, pin straight, hair that reached her broad shoulders. The woman had very long, graceful limbs but carried herself with the air of a demure woman. B knew Ray had social issues from a life time of having to hide her powers from terrible people, which was why B found it odd at how Ray easily approached the officer, without her mask.

"Sally wandered off on her own, as you can tell, she has a bit of an attitude problem." Ray explained all knowingly while gesturing to the sitting B.

The mutant glowered by at her colleague, insulted by both the name and equally demeaning tone.

"What?" B hissed.

"Sally don't be rude, I am so sorry officer." Ray cut in shooting her a playful glare that the policeman mistook for a disciplinary action.

"That's fine ma'am, please keep an eye on her from now on." The man said while flicking up at the shade of his hat. "We can't have kids sleeping on benches by themselves, it's not safe."

"Yes officer, thank you." Ray responded and grinned sweetly.

B sat seething till the officer wandered off, then she directed her incensed stare onto Ray.

"Sally?" She growled. "Are you trying to anger me?"

Ray eyed her with her blue eyes and then grinned smugly. "You don't look so threatening from this angle."

B scoffed and then stood up, but the moment she did she was hit with a strange sense of vertigo. B knew she was a short female, but it was alarming how close she was to the ground. She felt out of balance and abnormally small.

"What on earth is going on?" She demanded trifle worried.

She felt faint and raised her head only to realize she was in level with Ray's stomach.

"Why are you taller than me? Why do I sound different?" She continued to demand, pinching at the column of her throat. "All high pitched and irritating like some—"

"Five year old?" Ray cut in sympathetically. B looked to her and she was taken aback by the pained pity in her eyes.

"That's because you are, B."

"What?"

"Lyuba had to teach you a lesson—"

"No—"Bianca gasped, taking in the sight of her miniscule, cherubic fingers. She paled while flexing the trembling digits. She frantically looked about for a reflective surface, anything to prove her wrong.

"You were getting out of control." Ray suddenly stated grabbing her wide eyed attention.

"No, you can't be serious!"

Ray frowned and then reached out to gently squeeze her on the shoulder, a motion of comfort that was lost to B.

"I am sorry B. But I must leave now." She said and took a step back.

"W-wait." B stuttered out in protest. "You can't just leave me here like this."

Ray smiled sadly only last time before a ball of light exploded behind her and sucked her into the swirling aura and then disappearing entirely.

Bianca stared at the space the woman once stood in; her expression was frozen in shock and betrayal.

"RAY!"

Tears streamed down Bianca's round, cherubic face as she practically marched down the street. Ideally a metaphorically hell fire would be following her strides when Mistress B was in one of her lesser moods, but it was hard to be intimidated by a five year old dressed in blue Dragonball Z t-shirt and jeans with matching flip flops.

Little Bianca had ill intent on her mind, she was determined to commit murder and her target was Olivia Throne.

 _This is her fault, everything is her fault._ Bianca chanted as she marched into the Flatiron District. She had her death glare fixated on the level Olivia's apartment was secretly hoping to spot her target strolling about in the space.

 _She is what stands between Lyuba and I, she doubts my loyalty because of her. If I kill her then all my problems go away. Maybe that's why I am here of all places._

Despite her current emotional turmoil, Bianca felt it was a solid plan. If Olivia seized to exist then so would her constant obsession over her, Lyuba would feel that B is no longer wayward in her affections and goals and be welcomed back into open arms.

* * *

Olivia was a nerve away from nibbling at her fingernails from the anxiousness that rushed through her system like electricity. Steve had left with Kevin and Valerie a while ago to confront Tony Stark. She would have joined them, but she had a very low tolerance for Tony's lies and considering the last time he had ticked her off, she didn't feel comfortable.

However she did regret her decision and suddenly wished to be beside Steve. Something told her that Stark had nothing but bad news for her love.

She heard the sound of the door opening. She turned away from her laptop screen and looked to find Steve emerging from the entrance.

He had his head hung; his whole demeanor reflected his despair. He acknowledged her with a thin lipped smile and approached with a manila folder at hand. Olivia stared unsure of what to say. He mumbled a quick, sad 'hello' under his breath and then placed a dry kiss to her forehead.

Olivia watched helplessly as he turned and headed towards their bedroom without another word. Her shoulders slumped in defeat. Olivia was quick to catch onto the subtle signs Steve showed when he needed sometime alone. She knew not to disturb him, at least for a while. He had abandoned the folder on to her lap and she gathered the thick case into her hands.

The cover was blank of a title but the moment she opened the file, Olivia was floored by the information. It was a case file entirely on Kevin's sister.

 **Code name: Interface**

 **Other known Aliases: Isabelle Odell, Clara Edelman, Molly Lowell, Jane Fitzgerald.**

Olivia's eyes widened in shock, her pupils shivering as she skimmed rapidly through the text.

Olivia had three stages when it came to reading a really good book. The first stage was being so completely absorbed in the novel that the outside world becomes a blur. The second stage was skipping meals, not on purpose of course but when the book is good nothing else really matters.

The third stage was rare and only happened to the most intriguing of books and intense scenes. She would start pacing. Now Isabelle's file wasn't exactly a novel, but the things Olivia read had her on edge.

It was like reading a spy novel with a few sci-fi elements. The woman was a mystery wrapped and formed in the lethal mess that was Hydra.

Olivia stood before her window, the rain pelted the glass as she continued to read on about Isabelle's history. She was about to flip to the next page when she felt a pair of warm arms snake around her waist. She was spooked at first but then recognized the touch quickly.

Steve smiled faintly when she relaxed into his hold. He pulled her back into hard, muscular body and buried his face into crown of her head. He would have preferred the crook of her neck but Steve practically towered over her small girlfriend. The lavender scent of her hair made a wave of ease wash over him. He sighed and took another deep breath as his embrace grew tighter around her middle.

"I am guessing Stark disappointed you, once again." She murmured fondly, stilling one hand over his arm, stroking at the crisp blonde strands.

"Well it's a pattern you were already aware of." He grumbled into her tresses.

Olivia smiled pityingly and craned her neck slightly to look at him. Steve had his blue eyes lowered pensively, her heart squeezed in compassion.

"I try not to talk shit, but you were aware of my uncertainty towards him." She said and leaned up to press a doting kiss to his strong jaw line.

"What happened?" She asked softly.

A deep sigh escaped his lips. Olivia felt the weight of the exhale on her back when he released the breath through his powerful chest.

"He knew about Isabelle, God only knows how long but he knew and he hadn't said anything in order to fulfill his own agenda." The Captain grumbled despondently, staring ahead at nothing.

"I don't know what Tony's past is with Isabelle, but I just." Another heavy sigh escaped his full lips. Olivia felt her heart squeeze in pity when he pressed the side of his face against hers, desperate for comfort.

"I was the one who told Kevin, Tony could be relied on." He mumbled repentantly.

"You feel responsible." She observed. He nodded and buried his face into her hair once more, trying to hide from the world.

In any other situation, Olivia would have laughed at how adorable and hilarious his reactions were, but she knew he would be deterred if she expressed her amusement on a serious matter. She stifled her smile and turned to face her boyfriend. Steve raised his head and their gazes met.

"Kevin doesn't blame you, I am pretty sure his biggest dilemma of the day is that Tony and Isabelle had history, considering its Stark I bet all my cards it's of a sexual nature."

"Poor guy." Steve murmured, grimacing openly. "Tony is filling him on everything that had happened with Isabelle, I didn't really feel like sticking around."

"The stench of betrayal was too strong for my blue eyed beauty." Olivia cooed lovingly causing the Captain to blush deeply.

She giggled fondly at the sight of his abashment and pressed a chaste kiss to his lips.

"It's okay, this file has a lot to say too." She whispered her mouth moving against his as his hold on her grew tighter.

"You are always looking for new reading material." Steve responded cheekily earning a scoff from his girlfriend.

Bianca thought her main obstacle would be the security measure that restricts entrance to strangers, but fate was on her side that morning. One of the attendees was exited the apartment building and kindly held the door for the adorable five year old. Bianca ignored the older woman's adoring coos and marched up the steps. She did struggle and grew out of breath at the first landing, but she persevered.

She finally reached her destination; she stared up at the tall wooden plank of the door. Her back began to throb; her tentacles were awakened by her enraged, pumping heart. She was ready to kill; she was ready to end Olivia's life.

She raised a clenched fist and thumped heavily at the door. She heard the sound of scuffling feet and stood on high alert, her tentacles began to dance beneath the back of her shirt, ready to tear their way out.

The door opened and she was alarmed by the towering male that greeted her. Her gaping eyes wandered up the muscular legs of Captain America. She stood frozen in a fear of being recognized, their eyes met and the Captain blinked in wonder.

"Hi." He acknowledge softly with a doting twinkle in his sky blue eyes. He bent his body towards her and she took a wary step back on instinct. He took notice of the faint water lines that streaked the child's face.

His smiling face softened in deep concern.

"Can I help you?" He asked gently.

Bianca stood frozen, unsure of how to respond to his kindness. She stood numbly in a pregnant silence. Steve waited patiently for her to say something.

"Babe, who is it?"

B felt a jolt of want and anxiousness hit her heart just at the sound of her voice. Steve raised his head slightly to acknowledge his girlfriend's inquiry.

"I think she is one of your neighbors." He announced his sparkling blue eyes steady on the smaller female.

"Who?"

Steve stepped aside and B stared eagerly awaiting the presence behind him. Bianca thought she was ready to kill Olivia Thorne, she had been sure five minutes ago, but the moment her green eyes settled on the web designer, her irate determination crumbled.

Olivia stood in a pair of red and black plaid shorts. Her top was a large, black sweater with the SHIELD insignia on right side above her chest. Her hair was down in spiral, dark curls. Her ample, honey brown eyes blinked, astonished by the presence of the child.

Bianca didn't know why she was suddenly overwhelmed with relief. It was intense to the point where her eyes began to prickle. Maybe it was the sight of seeing Olivia healthy and not in the hospital in a coma because of the incident. Maybe it was the fact that her five year old body currently had no will to suppress emotions.

Bianca couldn't stop herself from racing up to the woman and practically throwing herself into her arms.

Olivia was startled by the sudden embrace. The small, strawberry blonde girl hugged the web designer tightly around the hips. Her hands automatically fell to the back of her head, steadying the both of them from the force of the impact.

"Whoa, hey." She breathed out in wonder and stared down at the child. The child squeezed tightly with her face buried into Olivia's side.

"You have something to tell me?"

Her attention snapped up from the child to find Steve standing before her. He was grinning adoringly at the sight of her embracing the adolescent. His eyes were a light with a mischievous glint that suggested she reveal a secret.

"She isn't mine." Olivia announced hastily earning a chuckle from the Captain.

"She is trembling though." Olivia mumbled under her breath, feeling the child shivering in her hold with her face hidden from their view.

Her heart went out to the kid; the small thing was clearly scared and alarmed by something. Olivia felt the beginnings of a wet stain on her shirt, alerting her that the child was indeed crying.

"Are you lost, sweetheart?" She cooed lovingly, stroking her fine head of auburn tresses.

The child shifted under Olivia's light touch and then began to recoil her arms back towards her body. The older woman allowed the youngster room to move but continued to run her fingers through her hair, amazed by the soft silky strands.

Olivia bent at her knees, her head leveled with the child and she gazed upon the kid's pretty features. She had a cute button nose that had taken on a charming shade of pink; freckles littered the apples of her wet cheeks and the bridge of her nose.

The child sniffled and wiped her tiny hand under her nose. Olivia felt like her heart literally melted when she raised her gaze and looked to her with soulful eyes and starred lashes.

"Do your parents know you are here?" Olivia asked gently and swept aside a strand of the child's hair that obstructed her adorable face.

"Do not patronize me, love."

Olivia felt a chill run down her spine at the familiar, sardonic tone.

The child grinned as Olivia paled.

"I do not care for it." She grumbled and then raised her chin haughtily.

Olivia gaped in shock.

 **Review please x**


	9. Superstar

_**Hey guys. I am so sorry I took forever to publish this chapter, but I felt a lot more relieved ever since Civil War premiered. I no longer felt pressured to get this story done on time, but that doesnt mean I am going to neglect it completely, work is a little tough at the moment but I finally got this chapter done :).**_

 **Jo: Civil war was awesome. I loved it so much omg, it was like Avengers 2.5 but at the same time made up for the shit storm that was Age of Ultron. So many new possibilities opened and I have a huge crush on T'Challa.**

 **Oddball: LOL I loved your reaction for the whole thing, it was hilarious so thanks for that. Well more interactions with Bianca isn't going to come till a later chapter, this story is Bucky centric after all. Steve and Olivia as much as I love the are secondary in this story :). Sorru I took forever to respond to your messages but I was waiting till I got a chance to publish this chapter, you are such a sweet heart to keep sending me little updates, I appreciated it alot x. I listened to the song Kiri, you have great taste but the song I take most insp from is Mirrors by PVRIS you should hear it if you have the time :D. Omg I love to see your collection of newspaper clippings :).**

 **Enjoy the chapter xx. If you get confused remember Jo and Stark are taking turns telling their sides of the stories, so it might feel like a lot is shifting a lot. Sorry but this is a experimentation I am trying out with my writing.**

 **xx**

 **SSC**

* * *

Bucky was bored. It was a strange feeling to be to lethargic and frustrated at the same time, then again most of his lifetime had been spent on fighting, killing and sleeping for long periods of time. He didn't know what to do with so much freedom.

He had spent most of his time in his thoughts. After his latest interaction with Joanna, followed with all his new emotions, Bucky was getting impatient. He kept trying to force is memories back but it wasn't working.

He wanted to remember her, needed to in order to make sense of his feelings. It was infuriating.

To clear his thoughts he took a leisurely stroll through the bunker. He was in the mood to snack and passed the TV room, on the way to the kitchen, when he spotted her.

Joanna had the television on some music channel. She was hardly paying attention to the visuals but she was bobbing her head along to the beat while sitting on the long leather couch. Her legs were crossed comfortably in a meditative position. Her hands were working on painting her nails a bright shade of apple red.

His attention was reeled in by the gleaming, wet paint.

Bucky felt that familiar prickling sensation in his mind, the grey wall before him began to blur away as a fog of colours took over. The colours molded together to form a moving picture that he slowly understood to be another memory.

He was at that hotel room again, the one with the creepy tree statue. He was sitting on the edge of the king-sized bed. He was shirtless, in his grey boxers and polishing one of his many blades, admiring the metal as it glinted under the warm lights of the space.

He spotted movement from his right, it was Joanna. She was sitting at the dressing table, leaning back into the off white ornate chair with one leg crossed over the other. His pulse galloped at the sight of her, dressed scandalously in just a plain black t-shirt. He knew it was his, the sleeves and frame of the top didn't align her feminine figure, but she still managed to look ravishing.

Her hair was a tousled mess of waves that fell to her shoulders. She had a short bottle of crimson red nail polish in one hand. She was shaking it violently while observing his metal arm with her dark eyes.

 _"That's the ugliest effing shade of red I have ever seen."_ She sneered teasingly earning his attention. His gaze followed the direction of her eyes to the Soviet Star on his arm. It was a dull almost rusty like shade of red. He didn't have much of an opinion on the colour but it did seem copper in the sunlight, he worried it would attract unwanted attention on a mission.

 _"The colour was fading, Boris reapplied it."_ He had responded in a blasé manner and continued to run the towel over the blade.

 _"Yah, with his grandma's fabric paint."_ She snorted. _"It should be a darker red, like blood red. Like this."_

She presented her his fingernails that were a painted neatly with a shade of gleaming crimson. He rather liked the sight of colour on her tan complexion, but her hands always fascinated him, especially how they felt against his skin. He found himself longing for such warmth again.

 _"Fill in one of his suggestion cards, don't preach to me"_ He grumbled trying to seem irate but he felt a smile tug at his mouth, he was amused by his own banter.

 _"_ Alright _snappy pants."_ Joanna laughed and languidly stood up from her chair. The movements of his hands stilled and all his attention fell to her as she began to walk to him. His haunted gaze travelled up her shapely legs as they drew closer. She was purposefully taking her sweet time to get to the edge of the bed.

His stare dragged up to her face and she was watching him with her onyx eyes, they were glimmering in mischief.

 _"Do you mind?"_ She asked dangling the bottle of varnish between her fingers and glancing at his arm. She had hip jutted slightly to the side, causing the shirt to rile up just a few centimeters over her thigh. He felt his mouth dry instantly in a sudden need to have her. She saw this and her grin widened.

He nodded in mute invitation. She crawled onto the bed, one knee followed by the other. He wrapped the knife into the towel and set it aside neatly, further away from them. He twisted around to face her.

Joanna gathered his metal hand delicately, like it was made of the finest China. Then, holding his stare heatedly, she boldly placed his hand between her thighs and locked it in place.

Bucky felt his breathing hitch from the memory of how soft her thighs were, he could practically feel the warmth which was terrifying considering he barely felt anything through his metal skin. He watched her keenly as she twisted the cap of the bottle, lifted out the brush dripping in red and began to apply it neatly over the star.

Her attention was focused solely on her task, but her cheeks were taking on a charming shade of pink. His hungry stare was causing her body to react agreeably. Despite the palpable sexual tension, he loved watching her indulge in simple things more than he cared to admit. Even though Jo was a trained killer, something he was well aware of, he knew her hands were capable of so much healing.

She had brought more light into his life than anyone ever had. Bucky had only remembered it in that memory, he just wished he recalled every single one.

He studied her face keenly, admiring the focus in her expression with a loving look. The sight of her parted lips always made him yearn for a taste. He noticed that she had a tendency to run the tip of her tongue over her upper lip when she was absorbed in a task. As cute it was, it was thoroughly distracting during a mission.

She applied the last brush stroke and then leaned back to admire her work.

 _"This way, every time you see that star..."_ She paused to lean forward. She pursued her lips and then gently blew at the wet paint. His pulse quickened, a warm rush consumed his body at her sinfully desirable ways. She raised her gaze and looked to him from beneath her long, inky lashes.

 _"You think of me and how these hands made you scream."_ She whispered richly, accenting her promise with a coy smile. He held her stare challengingly, his eyes narrowing playfully.

 _"I did not scream."_ He reminded stubbornly.

 _"Yeah but you did groan and moan, it was hot."_ She murmured tossing aside the tightly sealed bottle of varnish on to the bed. The heavy glass bounced on the mattress and then rolled to a side. The item was hardly his concern when she stretched her arms over his shoulders and then straddled his waist.

 _"I wanna hear it again."_ She insisted, her warm breath brushed at his lips.

Their mouths met in a heat that swept him up like a tidal wave. He had never felt something so intense; the sensation went straight down to his stomach, his insides erupted with butterflies.

His lips parted begging for something more erotic but she denied him the satisfaction. Her mouth left his and trailed across the corner of his lips and down his well defined jaw.

 _"Jo."_ He groaned out in protest even though his hands were already smoothing down the curves of her hips.

 _"What?"_ She grumbled, her frustration was harsh against his skin.

 _"We have a few hours to spare."_ She reminded.

He casted a dazed glance in the direction of the hand clock on the dressing table.

 _"Actually it's just one hour."_ He reported of their pending mission.

 _"Challenge accepted."_ She purred and continued to make her way down his neck. His Adams apple bobbed in anticipation as her blunt nails clawed deliciously down his chest, eliciting shivers of delight. He could no longer fight the need in him and curved his hands under her plump derrière and pulled demandingly on to his lap.

She gasped, both surprised and aroused by his actions. He stole her lips in another kiss that opened the gateway to the sensual activities he craved again and again.

It physically frustrated James Buchanan Barnes.

It was one thing to be tormented by misdeeds in the past, people he had killed, lives he had shattered all for a mission, but to be haunted by his moments with Joanna. Each memory left him aching more than just physically, his thundering heart and pulsing body longed for her. He was scared of the intensity, it was as if there was a caged animal within him that was once tamed by her, sought her as its master.

He couldn't wait any longer, he needed to know about his past, their past. He needed to make sense of the raging emotions within him. Whatever it took.

Jo was in the middle of drying her hair with a simple white towel. Her mind was a daze with her usual thoughts.

Him.

She smiled softly to herself, resisting the urge to hum like some Disney princess. She felt at peace when he was around, something she hadn't felt in a while. But her heart was still a little erratic and not just from the sight of his face, but it was a buzzing, like something bad was coming.

"Ey Sparky." Jo was snapped out of her thoughts by a nickname she was used to hearing from one particular person.

It was Jude, she was leaning at the frame of her door and glaring in her direction.

"Quit stealing my shampoo."

Despite the threat in her words, Joanna immediately knew the woman was just kidding. She grinned and tossed the towel to her desk chair.

"But baby you smell so good, just wanted to keep you close." She breathed teasingly, earning a eye roll from Jude.

"I see you are finally warming up to me again."

"Save the climate puns for your icicle of a boyfriend." Jude grumbled and walked in with a cardboard box hugged to her stomach.

"You know I can't stay mad at you for long." The mechanic promised with a soft smile as she dumped the box on to Joanna's bed. In a sudden insecurity Jo began to pick at her nails.

"Even after what—"

"I never blamed you for it you know." Jude cut in curtly. Joanna shot her an incredulous look and Jude turned away with a irate huff.

"Okay I did but it was misplaced, I realized that now. I just didn't want to accept it ya know."

"I am familiar with that concept." Joanna smiled.

"Guess that's how he ended up here." Jude mused, knowing the female was referring to Bucky.

"But he found me, so here is hoping." She responded with a hopeful shrug.

"Well that sounds depressing." Jude scowled while reaching into the cardboard box.

"Good thing I brought this."

Joanna's eyes lit up like fireworks at the sight of the tall bottle of Smirnoff and the short, stiff glasses the woman pulled out.

"You are a goddess." She breathed in amazement.

A glass into the evening Joanna and Jude sat comfortably on her bed. They were facing each other and chatting about whatever came to mind. Joanna was the one doing most of the talking, it was a common habit between the two friends.

"I brought something else too." Jude abruptly announced pulling out a small, black box made of card and gesturing it to Joanna.

"Figured you'd want it back." She explained.

Joanna eagerly accepted the item and lifted the lid. Her gaze immediately softened at the sight of her most prized possession.

It was two small studs, round in shape and a rose metallic. It was far too large to be earrings. She picked one of the devices and turned it over in her palm. Underneath there was a soft plastic ear phone stuck to the back of the object, it was a pair of ear pieces.

"I knew I could rely on you to keep it safe." Joanna sighed out in gratitude.

"So…" Jude hummed, watching as Joanna neatly tucked the box under her pillow.

"You ever going to tell me where you got it from?" The mechanic asked.

"Oh, let me get in two more shots first." Joanna insisted with a hearty laugh.

Bucky knew the frequency was always the tough bitch when it came to micro voice transmitters. He had an uncertainty about the spy gadgets he acquired and how they would function in the tomb like space. Yet he heard them as clear as day.

 ** _"So how was he?"_** He heard Jude's sound inquiry. Bucky stared at the wall before him while listening intently to the ear piece that transmitted their conversation to him. He sat at the edge of the bunk bed, elbows posed at his widely spaced knees with his fingers locked in place, keeping his bristly chin up.

"Who?" Joanna's voice echoed in response to Jude's inquiry.

"Stark." Jude stated flatly.

Joanna stared in surprise and the shorter woman rolled her eyes in mild irritation.

"Oh come on, this is clearly his tech." Jude said shooting a vague glance at the box on the bed.

"If you knew, why are you trying to get me drunk and tell you?" Joanna demanded with a sly quirk of her left eyebrow.

"Gossip and booze are my two favourite past times." Jude insisted beaming up at the woman. Jo laughed at that, she couldn't help but agree.

"Spill the deets. How did you two meet?" The mechanical engineer was eager to know all of Joanna's past rendezvous with the infamous Tony Stark. Little did they know that the Winter Solider was listening in on the conversation and just as curious.

Joanna took a long pause as if riffling through the memories in her mind and trying to recall the first moment. She eased back into the bolster cushion that kept her upright and downed the last bit of her drink. A sharp hiss left her mouth before a dazed smile took over her bruised face.

"Remember that time I went AWOL for a good three hours after Madam Crabby let us off our leash?" She asked, casting a glance at Jude.

"I'm surprised she even let you out even after you called her that to her face." Jude chuckled.

"That's her name." Joanna responded, confused by her snide tone.

The abruptness in the Jude's dead-panned expression surprised the former spy.

"It's Crabbé." She corrected sternly with a slight accented purr to her words.

"You speak French for God's sake." She reminded in aggravation.

"Technicality." Joanna scoffed. "Why is her last name a sea spider anyway?"

"Start the story before I lose all patience with you." Jude sighed out while pinching the bridge of her nose.

Joanna grinned but her smile wavered a little at the anticipation of sharing a part of her life she had never revealed to anyone. As much as she cared and trusted Jude, she suddenly felt like her privacy had been invaded but at the same time she ached to share.

Joanna decided in that moment that she would, after all it was a rather fun story and there was someone else that was worth more to her. Someone who's memories she wouldn't dare to share with the world.

"Well it was that first night I got out at the big apple, and believe me when I say, it really was huge." Joanna began the tale with a fond smile and glittering eyes. She could still smell the sulphur from the manholes when she first escaped on to the streets.

Sure the smell hit her hard and it wasn't what she had been fantasizing but it was still better than being stuck in an apartment with Frankie. She was however, mesmerised by the city lights. She spent most of her time standing in one place and watching the big screen in Time Square. Rude taxi drivers had honked and yelled in filth for her to get out of the way, she found it amusing, hilarious even.

"Must have been great for you, you love chaotic environments." Jude mused as if reading her thoughts Joanna grinned and nodded proudly.

"I do thrive on energy." She said still smiling. "So did he, which was where we first met, the most energetic place of all."

Greg's Bar

It was a mixure of things that first drew her to that particular pub. The scent of barbeque was chiefly wonderful, but also the music. The loud, fast paced melodies thumped through the walls, beckoning her. She felt the rhythm tremble in her bones and deep into her cells, as if they were vibrating and causing a fire within her. It was all new and very exciting.

She followed the sound and entered the place. The warm scent of tabacco and brandy permeated her senses, it was like stepping into her father's office but with a little more fun than the usual pretentious air. People were bustling about having a good time, there were mainly men, larges one with ink over their arms and talking loudly.

She had found a seat at the bar, it seemed to be the hub of all the noise and she was naturally drawn towards it. The bartender was a very charming man named Ben.

"What will it be sweetheart?"

"A strawberry Margarita." Joanna had said, trying her best not to seem like it was her first time ordering a drink at the ripe age of twenty two.

He flashed her a grin with a twinkle in his eye that seemed to say he knew her secret.

"Sure thing." He said and went to fetch her order.

Tony remembered the first time he met her all too clearly. Not many people made an impact in Stark's life, but when they did they never left his mind.

"When I first saw her I knew she was different, she kinda ran into the bar like something was chasing her but the moment she took in everything around her, her face was like literally glowing."

He suppressed the urge to smile when he recalled her entrance. The fluttering white skirts of her pretty dress. Her chocolate brown hair that was loose in a mass of thick, spiraling curls. She had entered, beautiful flustered like a angel that blew into a den of sin. She took a seat at the bar and the moment her margarita arrived she sipped at it innocently while twirling around in her stool, observing her environment, positively engrossed by the life around her.

"Glowing?" Kevin echoed snapping the industrialist out of his thoughts.

"Yeah it was like she had never seen a bar before, she seemed like a out of towner and I expected like a gang of girls to follow in after her but she was by herself." Tony answered with a casual flick of his wrist.

"I see." Kevin grumbled grimly to himself, his dark eyes narrowing. "Easy target."

Tony winced and felt instantly remorseful of his careless words. Stark wasn't one to feel guilt about what he says but he knew he had to tread carefully. He had already lost the Captain's trust with his secrets about Clara. He had to remind himself that he was reciting the story to Kevin, the sibling of Clara/ Isabelle.

"Comes with the face and title." Stark said almost apologetically. "She was really good at chatting to people, blending in to the crowd was practically second nature to her. I was pretty interested by this, watching the way she interacted with the bar tender. She had coaxed him into conversation and then pretty soon she was surrounded by all these people that were eager to know her, myself included."

"So you joined in on the crowd." Valerie suddenly asked, grabbing the male gazes.

"I am no sheep." Stark said smugly. "I waited for the right moment."

He had been watching her from his seat at the booth. He had been running Stark Industries as the new CEO for four years since his twenty first birthday. They were celebrating his anniversary at the company. Happy was inebriated despite vowing to not drink on the job but Tony always managed to sweet talk his friends into such misdeeds. The body guard was yapping away to his friend Colonel Rhodes about something loud and not as interesting at the girl at the bar.

He wanted to talk to her, she had such a contagious grin and an air of naivety he very much like to immerse himself in, or pollute entirely. She was very popular among the crowd and after a few drinks, she had made her way to the karaoke stand. He leaned back into his seat and watched, fascinated as she picked up the mic and began to sing a song.

"Which was?" Kevin demanded.

Tony grinned, eager to tell the man.

"Bohemian Rhapsody?" Jude echoed directing a incredulous look at Joanna.

"Really?" She added with one eyebrow raised.

"Stark has been labeled to be a lot of things but no one seems to talk enough about his mad karaoke skills." Joanna mused vaguely while admiring the red on her nails.

"Not as good as me of course but he knew how to keep up." She added with a pompous recline of her head that Jude couldn't help but roll her eyes to.

"Naturally, if a man can get my adrenaline pumped up they will end up in my bed." Joanna stated with a wicked little grin.

Bucky Barnes who had been listening intently felt his lips curl up in distaste.

Joanna remembered the sex very vividly. It started off rather clumsy and frenetic. They stumbled into his hotel room, drunk and desperate for each other. Their lips were pressed together in heated kisses. Tony had managed to pin Joanna to the back of the door as she impatiently tried to remove his coat and then his shirt.

Joanna knew exactly whom she was about to sleep with, even an outsider like her knew Tony Stark. But he wasn't her target that night, in fact it was the one night that she took a risk first time being a field agent and it was totally worth it.

Joanna haven't been with many men before Tony, many was a over statement, it had only been just this one guy and his skills were lousy. Considering that guy had been her first time she didn't really have anyone else to compare to. Tony Stark had raised her bar and ever since him, she discovered the sex was truly enjoyable.

Then James Buchanan Barnes came around and obliterated anyone else's' chances at pleasing Joanna. But let's not talk about their story right now, this arc is focused on Tony and Joanna's short lived affair.

"Is a mattress always end game with whatever girl you spend time with?" Kevin grimaced while pacing the length of Tony's coffee table.

"You don't have to judge so harshly. I can't take back what I did." Stark pouted leaning back into the leather seat.

"I didn't know you then and I certainly didn't know she was your sister."

"Would that have stopped you?" Valerie countered just as crudely.

"If you are referring to now then yes, I am in love I'll have you know, with the perfect woman." Tony stated factually without a hint of deceit. He felt a little unfaithful thinking about Clara when he considered Pepper the love of his life. But his girlfriend knew of Clara's impact on his life, yet he hadn't shared his findings with her either.

"Does Pepper know about this?" Kevin questioned, stopping in his impatient strides to pin Tony under one of his judging glares.

Stark raised his gaze and met Odell's firmly.

"Pepper knows all about my past flings." He confessed. "Clara or Isabelle, was the one person she actually liked. Your sister was a real charmer."

Pepper was fond of Clara in the few times they met. In fact Tony remembered Clara insisting several times that she preferred his former assistance company over his. Something about girl dates, he pictured something completely inappropriate to what the actual scenario was.

Kevin fell silent. Valerie was hyper aware of his stillness and her keen gaze immediately darted to him. Her face softened pityingly at the sight of his weary expression. He looked tired, exhausted from all his findings, like he didn't know what to believe anymore. Valerie empathized, he was hearing two sides of his sister, one as a agent of Hydra with her own ominous code name. The other side of her was the innocent, carefree Clara Edelman who had won the heart of the infamous Tony Stark.

Kevin took a seat as if suddenly dizzy. He posed his elbows on his knees and leaned his weight on to his forearms.

"Heard that about a lot of Hydra Agents." He muttered under his breath. Someone he had considered a friend turned out to be Hydra during the events of Operation Insights. Kevin had to disarm the woman and as a result she ended up in hospital, comatose with various shattered bones. There was no telling when she would wake up. Kevin was remorseful over what he had done but there was no stopping that woman. Once Hydra revealed itself they had unleashed the sleeper agents that were lethal killing machines.

Kevin didn't want to believe his own flesh and blood was one of them. He had to know more.

He looked up and he was surprised when he met Valerie's eyes. They were amber orbs swirling in tender worry that seemed to silently ask several questions.

 _Are you alright? Do you want to stop?_

He smiled faintly, amazed that after all their years apart they still that the remarkable ability to convey messages to one another without any words at all.

He nodded bravely and directed her an assuring smile before looking to Tony.

"How did this fling progress?" He asked.

Tony grinned pleasantly.

"Witty banter of course."

Tony Stark recalled their second encounter vividly. It was at a dinner party, the reasons and the host of the party escaped his recollection but there was an abundance of pretty women and alcohol, so naturally the young man presented himself.

Despite the many gorgeous women that caught his eye or openly flirted with him, he lost all interest the moment he spotted her. She was dressed in a navy blue, strapless maxi dress, that hugged every plane of her athletic body. He was mesmerized by the sight of her.

Her steps were as light as air as she walked about the room, chatting to several individuals. Her actions were playful and flirtatious, her smile was contagious and her dark eyes were sparkling.

He was immediately drawn to her and pursued her vigilantly. Which he knew was something he wasn't accustomed to doing.

He found her at the bar, her back was turned to him with her elbows rested on the counter. She had just finished ordering her drinks and was waiting patiently. He adjusted his tie, fixed the golden cufflinks and began to approach.

"Hey Superstar." She greeted before he could have his say.

He was surprised she had detected him so quickly, as if she knew he was behind her the entire time. She turned slowly to face him. Their eyes met, his smoldered in smoky appreciation. Her ebony curls were down in soft waves that fell to her smooth, bronze shoulders.

He quickly collected his wits and flashed her a dazzling grin.

"Surprise seeing you here." He murmured sliding up elbow first, along the counter beside her.

"Last time I remember you were naked and in my bed."

Clara grinned highly entertained by his words. He was expecting more of a lowered gaze, blushing cheeks sort of reaction.

"Considering your track record I was doing you a favour by leaving, besides. You were so drained I figured I'd let you sleep in."

"Drained?" He echoed in disbelief.

"Tried, exhausted, fatigued, you take your pick of the synonyms." She added cheekily. "From all the hype about your sexual prowess, I was a little disappointed by the lack of stamina. Guess your high notes are the only things you can keep up."

"Ouch." He pouted, blown away by her haughty words and demeaning implications. "Well I wish I could say I blame it on the booze—well actually it was."

"Sure." She laughed.

He was hit with a unexpected wave of longing from the sound of her chiming laughter. He wanted to hear it again, her voice was rich and low and addictive. He moved closer till they were centimeters apart, holding her gaze intensely he voiced his request.

"How about a rematch?" He suggested.

"Oh?" Her inky winged brows lifted in intrigue. Her lingering stares fell to his mouth. He was tempted to lick his lips, they suddenly felt dry. The palpable sexual tension was thickening and smothering them. He was confident that she would say yes.

"Love to but I am here with a date." She announced, crushing his plans involving a bed and her. He didn't get a chance to voice out his retort, too stunned by the rejection.

The bartender arrived with her martini. She collected it swiftly and then winked at the gaping Stark.

"Catch ya later Superstar."

Tony found her again that night after their initial encounter.

Found was an understatement, it wasn't like he had lost sight of her. He didn't want to admit to stalking but she had an air of importance and beauty about her that it was hard to look away. She wasn't kidding about her date. Tony grimaced the sight of the man, he was the CEO of one of their competitors and he was old.

Stark observed the man's chubby, wrinkling face and balding scalp with revulsion, but his harsh features would soften the moment his gaze fell on her.

 ** _He must be rich_**. Tony had grumbled bitterly to himself while watching the man pat his belly over his black suit.

 ** _That doesn't make any sense, I am richer and not diabetic with off the charts cholesterol._**

Tony was determined not to sulk the entire evening and wandered about like the social butterfly he was, even though his attention had darted to her every once in a while, hoping she was watching him.

Her date was named Fred Flinton, whom Tony had dubbed Fred Flinstone. He was flirtatious despite his age and had most of his focus on a leggy blonde with huge breasts draped under a tight silver dress. Despite his obvious deficiency in attention, Clara seemed perfectly comfortable being on her own, admiring the sparkling chandeliers or munching on the finger food.

She seemed to be having a ball on her own, until another women dressed similarly to her had approached. The woman was pale but her skin was luminescent like the moon. She had flowing platinum blonde tresses pinned up in a elegant top notch. She was beautiful but the grumpiness she expressed made her seem stern and intimidating.

She closed in on Clara and whispered something to her ear with a cruel pursuing of her lips. Clara rolled her eyes and then laughed under her breath. The woman scowled, whispered something again with a cutting motion of her hand.

Clara grinned charmingly and threw one arm over the woman's broad shoulders and pulled her into her side.

"Jo I mean it, stick to your mission instead of trying to fulfill you desperate need to explore your youth."

Joanna never took threats well, it was always followed by two reactions, extremely stubbornness or aloofness. Joanna knew Frankie since she first joined Hydra, the two women grew up at each other's throats. Frankie for no reason but her own, saw Joanna as competition, a rival.

Joanna had found that both amusing and flattering, she never had a arch enemy before, it was fun. Frankie always took the rivalry more serious than the dark haired female. They were sent out on the field together with one shared handler. Joanna wasn't too fond of the idea, Frankie was stickler for protocol where as Joanna was determined to soar.

"Will you relax Frankie?" Joanna/Clara insisted. The slight purr in her words disguised the annoyance she felt.

"Honestly it's like you didn't find a doctor to take that stick out of your ass when I know you did."

"I don't know what you're talking about." Frankie denied despite the blush that threatened to colour her cheeks.

"Sure I don't know." Joanna grumbled with a wide eye roll that curved up into a sly smirk.

Frankie noticed this and narrowed her eyes irately.

"It is not like that with us, she is just our physician."

"Okay I believe you."

Frankie was seething and Joanna was relaxed as she took another swing of a flute of champagne. Joanna was enjoying the night and she wanted to keep it that way. She knew Frankie's annoyance with her wouldn't improve, which meant she had to be the bigger person.

She surprised the woman by throwing her arm behind her shoulders and hugging her to her side.

"Look our mission is unbelievably basic and this is our first run at blending in for potential sleeper agents. How the fuck are you going to succeed in that if you can't even relax for five God damn seconds?"

"Fine." Frankie grumbled uncomfortable of the closeness but simultaneously submissive. "Don't forget, twelve thirty. I'm heading to the tenth floor right now."

She pulled away from Joanna's hold and began to make her way through the crowd and to the elevator.

"Have fun!" Joanna had exclaimed after the rigid woman. She grinned finding the whole ordeal amusing. Her dark eyes scanned over the many faces, searching for one in particular. She didn't want to admit it but Tony Stark intrigued her in more than one way.

He wasn't in the place he was before, surrounded by several gorgeous women. She pouted, thinking he left.

She felt movement beside her and her instincts kicked in. With a fist curled at her side she turned to acknowledge the looming presence only to come face to face with that very man.

"Dance?" He offered with a rakish grin and cute tilt of his head.

She smiled highly entertained especially when he outstretched a hand. Her attention fell to his open palm, remembering very vividly how warm they were against her skin.

The melody that swirled around them was soft and regal, nothing she liked. Couples were paired up and swaying languidly across the dance floor.

"I don't Waltz and this music is not my style." She said calmly.

"What is your style?" He inquired sliding up to her.

"I am still figuring that out." She mused fondly to herself.

"Maybe something a bit more upbeat."

Tony grinned, whipped out his cell phone and immediately began to speak into it.

"You heard the lady Hans."

 ** _"Right-o sir."_**

Joanna didn't get a chance to questions his motives when the rhythm abruptly changed. The music that filled the air was lively and hypnotizing. There were a few exuberant hollers around them and then the young crowd in the room swarmed to the dance floor, excitedly dancing.

Joanna didn't reveal how truly impressed she was, she knew it was what he wanted and she always hated giving into expectations. She turned to him coolly, he was staring back with a expectant smirk on his lips.

"This is your plan is it? Awe me with your connections and pulling of strings." She noted factually.

"The only strings I want to pull are the ones holding that dress." He murmured lustfully. A shiver of delight raced down her spine. She held his sparkling stare with her own blazing with a heat to have him closer.

"Dance?" He offered once more. She eyed his hand again and then looked to him and beamed.

"Sure."

He grinned victoriously but it was short lived when she abruptly thrust her champagne glass between his finger tips. He gripped the object on instinct and she took the chance to walk backwards into the dance floor.

"Thanks for the tunes." She said with a adorable salute before blending into the crowd, leaving the playboy gaping after her.

Tony remembered how frustrated he was at the end of the night. His pride had taken a hit he had never felt before. Pursuing a woman was not something he liked to do or found necessary for that matter. But he never gave up without a fight either.

He decided to place his pride aside and chance after her into the middle of the dance floor. She was swaying to the beat without a care in the world. Her hips were winding rhythmically in sensuous movements that renewed his need for her.

He reached her in quick strides and slide up behind her.

"You sure know how to dance your way around men don't you." He whispered his lips practically brushing the shell of her ear. She turned to face him her arms followed and wrapped themselves around his neck and over his shoulders. Their noses were inches apart and she was smiling while observing him with her strangely black eyes.

"Contrary to popular belief, I do not need a guy to enjoy myself." He felt the brush of her words against his lips.

"Besides." She hummed chancing a glance at her date who lingered at the side lines. "His stamina is worse than yours."

"Yeah?" He echoed delighted by the news.

"Give me a chance to make up for it."

She flashed him another heart pounding grin. Despite the invitation in her smile, her arms retreated to her sides as she began to move to the beat again.

"Life doesn't give you chances; you have to learn to take them." She had made known. Tony found truth and suggestion in her words.

"Well then." He abruptly grasped her back the curves of her waist and pulled her back to him. She felt against his chest and Tony nearly hissed from the pleasure of their bodies fitting together once more.

"Come back with me." His voice was practically heavy with heady pleading.

The LED lights flashed around them in a array of blues and reds but their staring never faltered. She was equally engrossed by him, which was what confused Stark. Why was she resisting? Everything was already laid out for them.

"To your place?" She asked toying with the lapels of his jacket.

"That's a little too personal don't you think?" She pondered out loud with an adorable tilt of her head.

"Actually, I usually bring girls to my place. The hotel was just convenient." He said confidently.

Joanna pressed up close eliciting heavy breathing from the man. She was just as worked up and fought a great urge not to kiss him hotly.

"I think from the damage we did to the furniture we can agree it was not that convenient." She teased. He laughed highly amused by her words, she liked the sound.

"Well then good thing I am a billionaire." He cracked a grin.

They were wrapped up in the tension once again. Tony decided to chance it and leaned in and captured her lips with his. She took a sharp inhale as their mouths molded perfectly. She relaxed the moment he pulled her to the point where the buttons of his suit was digging into her breastbone.

"I can't." She sighed pulling away with super human effort.

"Yes you can."

Joanna grinned the man was bold which was a weakness for her, but she knew what was at stake and it was only a few minutes till her deadline.

"Oh I want to." She whispered against his lips.

"But I can't. I am on a secret mission."

Tony suppressed a groan of protest when she pressed out of his arms.

"Thanks for the dance though, see you around Superstar."

With a wink she walked away from him again, but Tony had a feeling it wouldn't be their last time.

"I guess she wasn't lying about the secret mission." Tony sighed out loud.

Kevin didn't really know how to respond to the part of the story. Valerie on the other hand was quite entertained, Isabelle certainly had spunk.

"Did you find out what it was?" Kevin demanded from the industrialist.

"In the newspaper just like everybody else, of course I didn't make the connections till recently." Stark said his gaze far away.

"The assassination of Holiday. Are we sure Isabelle was part of it?" Kevin didn't want to believe it, but at the same time it made sense to how long the mission was. It was an inside job with a lot of intel required in order to take down a high profile man like Holiday. Isabelle and who ever this platinum blonde woman were there for research purposes.

"Well according to the report by Agent thirteen she saw Isabelle and the man with the metal arm at the sight. Mentions something about a hand to hand combat with Clara and getting her ass kicked. Apparently she had some ability to render people useless by emitting a high pitched static noise."

"That sounds like Isabelle." Odell groaned out frustrated by the accuracy of it.

"She has got a rep. Codename Interface." Valerie annouced, reading from her copy of Isabelle's profile.

"This does not surprise me either." Kevin grumbled. His weary gaze moved back to the former playboy who wa lounging rather comfortably.

"What else Tony?"

"Interface?" Joanna echoed in disbelief at Jude's announcement.

"What kinda shit name is that?" She hissed, outraged by the designation.

"That's the one you were given." Jude added calmly.

"Rely on SHIELD to make me look like a total pussy." Joanna grumbled distastefully. "I expected something like the Sassmaster or Madmoiselle Badass."

Hearing this Bucky couldn't help but smirk in hilarity.

"Whatever I guess Interface makes sense." Joanna continued to mumbled to herself. " Doesn't mean I am happy about it though."

"I don't think they give a fuck." Jude pointed out flatly earning a incensed scowl from Interface.

"So, how long did you tease the guy?"

"It wasn't intentional." Joanna insisted innocently but Jude called her on her bullshit.

Stark and Joanna did run into each other. A lot.

She was part of a PR company, Frankie and her were just fronts for the clients but secretly they were spying on them. One in particular, Mr. Holiday. The man was the target and it had taken approximately a month and a half to get the job done.

She had spent most of the time flirting with Tony who had made himself a client the moment he found out about her occupation. Joanna didn't want to admit it but she had taken a liking to guy, slept with him more than once but he still kept coming back for more. This had helped her ego tremendously. Frankie on the other hand was throroughly annoyed by Joanna's lack of care for the assignment and much rather explored sensuous ways with the young Stark.

Joanna didn't care what Frankie thought, she knew her commitment to her work even though she seemed wayward, she was hellbent on pleasing her superiors, for reasons she did not plan on revealing.

She remembered the time when everything had changed between Tony and her. She was walking briskly to her favourite bagel joint. She had just passed the pedestrian crossing when she ran in to him.

"Well isn't this a coincidence." She had to acknowlege when she spotted him seated comfortably at one of the tables outside the entrance to the Café.

"We just keep running into each other." He noted with a playful smile.

"Techinically I was taking a leisurely stroll." She noted factually.

Tony laughed. "I've never met someone who has to have the last word as much as me."

"Word." She uttered teasingly, earning a hearty laugh from him.

Deciding to chance her tight schedule she slide into the seat opposite him. Tony sat up a little surprised by her movements. She grinned and eased back into the seat and crossed one knee over the other.

"How are you?" She asked pleasantly.

"Good, great actually." He smiled his gaze wandered over her in smokey appreciation. Joanna wondered why she always felt such tingles from such a look from him. It was most distracting.

"I ordered a bite to eat cause you raved about this place, care to join me?" He suggested, she smiled and gazed about the open area.

"Where is your usual posse?" She questioned referring to his over bearing body guards.

"Around, in disguise.I don't care really." He grumbled with a loose shrug. "Why? Do you need them around for protection?"

"If you really knew me you'd know I will never need a man for protection." She said cooly, even though her eyes flashed in warning. Tony didn't question her confidence and that was something that he found most intriguing about her. The woman was secretive and he was the type of person that liked to learn about enigmas.

"I would like to get to know you." He mumured softly. "Despite the great sex, we have a great repartee. I'd like to continue that."

"Outside the bedroom?" She questioned jokingly.

"Tonight at the Red Elephant." Tony nodded with a soberness she wasn't expecting.

She was silent for the longest time, staring at him point blank with an unreadable look. Tony couldn't tell if she was studying him or simply shocked.

"Can I assume your stunned dispositure is a yes?" He voiced to fill the silence.

Her lips pursued, her eyes were glittering eager to accept but there was a hesitation, as if her brain stopped her from speaking. Tony was waiting on the edge of his seat for her answer, praying it would be what he wanted to hear.

"Yes."

She had said and Tony supressed a sigh of relief.

* * *

Please Review x


	10. The Magnet

"You went out with my sister?" Kevin exclaimed.

"We did do more than just go out." Tony reminded wondering what the sudden outburst was about.

"Yeah but the date implies." Kevin's words fell to a deep pensive silence as his narrowed gaze softened on the man.

"You really did like her." He whispered mainly to himself in a sudden realisation.

Tony groaned in disbelief and rolled his eyes. "Like I said genius. Why does everyone assume I am lying?"

"You want detailed analysis cause I got one right here." Valerie countered sardonically earning a proud upturn of the lips from Kevin.

"Touché" Tony submitted with little resistance.

"Let me guess, you were late as usual." Jude cut in just as Joanna was about to talk about her first date with Tony Stark.

"Frankie knew I had plans, kept me fighting her till late as usual. Plus I had to do some last minute research on Holiday."

Jude was not surprised by this but uttered no snide retort and made a motion of her head for Joanna to continue her story.

Bucky was frowning from his seat on the edge of his bed. Joanna was going to talk about her first date with Tony stomach was in knots, he didn't know why but he knew he didn't want to hear about it, but at the same time, he couldn't exactly turn off the transmission.

Joanna remembered how she had worked herself up to a breezy wheeze while racing to get to her date on time, which was a wasted effort, she was beyond late.

She rushed to the red carpet entrance to the restaurant. She was about to step through the glass doors when a sudden appearance of a man dressed sharply in a black and white suit, opened the door for her.

"Good evening Miss Edelman." He greeted. She was stunned and immediately suspicious.

"How do you know who I am?" She asked, trying to seem aloof.

"You are the only other guest I am expecting." He announced. She winced remorsefully and suddenly took notice of the lack of other people within the usually busy venue.

"Are you kidding me?" She muttered in disbelief. "How long has he been here?"

"Approximately one hour and forty-five minutes." The manager recited, she sighed and trudged in heavily. The manager paid no mind to her nervousness and escorted her up a short flight of steps to the balcony spot.

Tony Stark was beyond aggravated and was tapping away impatiently at the table with his ringed finger. The metal made sharp thumps as Colonel Rhodes (dressed impeccably in his uniform) continued to try and convince the man out of his date.

"Look, Tony, she is clearly a no show so just come with me, we can pop in on the demo and you can tell me what needs fixing."

Stark stopped fidgeting and shot his friend a jaded look that had a spark of irritation.

"Even if she doesn't make it before my pride comes back, I'm still not going to come for that deadbeat project."

"Tony come on—" Rhodey stopped when a sudden figured emerging up the flight of stairs had grabbed his attention.

It was Tony's date, or so he assumed. The woman was dressed in a surprisingly modest emerald Jabot top with black lacy frills in the front. She had paired the top with a dark grey pencil skirt and strap on heels. Rhodey was expecting a certain type of woman and Clara Edelman did not fit. He was frankly a little impressed.

"Fine, I'll quit while I am ahead. Besides, you've got company."

Tony immediately perked up at the man's announcement and chanced a glance over his shoulder. She was ten feet away and waved almost shyly from across the hall. Stark tried to stand up coolly despite his jittery senses just at the sight of her.

"Skedaddle." He snapped at his friend who rolled his eyes and quickly left the room.

Tony clasped the buttons of his suit and then spun around just as Clara arrived.

"Hey." He greeted unable to suppress his delighted grin.

"Hi." She said with an almost raspy laugh to her words.

"Sorry, I'm late." She apologized genuinely remorseful of the time she had taken to get to the date. Tony wanted to make some kind of sarcastic retort, give her a hard time, but he was honestly happy to see her that the hiccup didn't matter.

"Would you like some water?" He offered to gesture the wine glass filled with ice and water at the ready for her.

"Yes please." She responded and greedily chugged down on the liquid. He watched her with amusement glittering in his brown eyes.

"I noticed how out of breath you are." He observed.

"Well, I worked in cardio on my way here to keep me ready for tonight." She said while lowering the empty glass back to the table.

"What's tonight?" He asked trying not to seem too eager to know what her plans were that didn't involve him.

Clara smiled in that sultry way that made his insides feel like they were melting. She crossed her arms over the table and leaned into them, closer to him.

"Depends on how this date goes." She breathed suggestively in a way that instantly elevated his pulse.

"So." She drawled leaning back casually and then glancing down at her menu.

"What are we drinking?" She asked and sent a subtle glance his way from beneath her inky lashes. Tony grinned and rubbed his hands eagerly.

Joanna knew her first date with Tony was something she would never forget, it was everything she had dreamed out in a first date. Witty banter, great food and conversation and of course the cherry on top of it all was the no sense of time. She had only felt such a liking for one other person before, but she was determined not to think of him and instead focus on Tony.

Stark was entertaining and not just for his usual glamor and playboy ways. There was more to the man, a depth that he rarely showed and Joanna had enjoyed every minute of it. Witnessing him being open with her made her want to be herself too, the person she was beneath her façade of indifference.

After dinner, Tony invited her over to his place for something she was not expecting. He said he had gotten a stash of hash and she was shocked at first. He echoed this surprised when she confessed she had never tried it before.

"You've never been high before?"

"Nope." She responded calmly while sliding into the back of his car.

" Would you like to find out?" He asked following in after her and sitting close, to the point where their arms were brushing.

"Yes." She said, eager to turn against her better judgement, Hydra's judgement.

Joanna had to admit it was a wonderful experience. They had occupied his living room, Tony left the windows of his condo open but the smoke still permeated the air around them.

Stark remembered how blissful she looked, the appearance of pure serenity on her pretty face as she grinned up at the ceiling with her head lolled back on the settee.

"That's interesting." She murmured in awe with the same dazed smile.

"How come this is your first time, I didn't expect it to be," Tony smirked leaning his side into the head of the couch and stretching his arm out behind her head.

"My job's kept me busy I guess." She said while inhaling another puff. "Feels like I've been working my whole life."

"She works hard for the money." Tony sang earning a laugh from her.

"Among other things." She grumbled smiling, but there were traces of melancholia in her eyes, he was immediately concerned.

"Have you thought about getting out it?" He had asked.

"A few times, but I'm in too deep now. Don't know what else to do with my life." She responded with a hapless shrug.

"A girl like you, there are many possibilities." He noted gently earning a playful nudge to the cheek bone by his knuckles.

"Not sure if I can do anything better. Plus I don't really want to depend on anyone else but myself you know?" She answered softly.

"I guess I wouldn't understand that. Born into this life luckily." Tony sighed out deciding not to sound all knowing when he really didn't know of her reasons for choosing her own life. Stark knew a long time ago that he was born into privilege. He used to feel guilty about it but not so much anymore. After all, he never considered himself to be just any trust fund brat. Stark contributed to the company with his amazing mind.

"You don't have to sound so guilty about it Tony." Clara had uttered fondly. "If I was born into your lifestyle. I'd probably make the best out of it the same way you have."

Tony wasn't expecting such empathetic words, most had responded snide or bitterly. He sudden felt extremely comfortable around her and the air of relaxation she reflected.

"I gotta ask because everything is so ambiguous with you and usually I like a little mystery but this is driving me crazy." He said in one breath. She glanced lazily in his direction but her eyebrows were lifted in question.

He leaned in, towering over her shapely lips. He was tempted to taste them but resisted the urge. She stared back dreamily.

"Since your defenses are a little down and you are feeling a bit more inclined to answer, I gotta ask." He reached down and slowly stroked the back of his fingers against the length of her cheekbone.

"What do you do?" He asked lovingly.

"What do you think I do?" She whispered, reveling in his touch.

"Closest guess is you are an escort." He said his voice grimmer than he planned. He had a feeling the PR was a front for something, either that or the company she worked for specialised in sending pretty girls on dates with less than attractive men for their own tried not to have personal feelings on the matter. After all, it was just an assumption.

"Scandalous." She breathed out beaming wickedly up at him. "If I was, is it beneath you to hang out like this with one?"

"Never." He countered firmly. "But the idea of having to share you does irk me a lot."

A breathy laugh escaped her lips, flattered and delighted by his words, but she observed him carefully behind her onyx eyes. Tony had found himself getting lost in the abyss of her orbs, he fell helplessly.

"I am not an escort." She stated and he believed her immediately.

"My job is a little more complicated than that." She murmured, averting her stare.

"Dangerous." She added casting him a weary glance.

Tony wanted more of an explanation but the way she had stubbornly pressed her lips down to a thin line, he knew that was all he was going to know that night. Besides, his desire to have her had climbed again and his heart was pounding from more than just the herbs. He cupped the side of her face while thumbing her smooth chin.

"Danger excites me." He whispered against her lips and then molded his mouth against hers. Her hands moved up, her fingers buried into the mop of his thick, lush, brown hair. He nearly moaned at the feeling of her nails brushing against his scalp.

Clara took charge and rolled them over till she was straddling him on the couch. Tony's hands were working lazily, savoring in her kisses as he began to disrobe her without another care in the world.

Joanna had to admit in those few months with Tony Stark, she truly felt like everything was perfect, that there was no Hydra, no pending mission, no double life. It felt like it was just her, enjoying her youth just like any twenty years old would.

"So naturally work got in the way," Jude stated fact, earning a smile from Joanna.

"How did Hydra crash the party?" The mechanic asked while sipping on her vodka and coke.

"Winters of course." Joanna murmured sweetly.

Bucky tensed in shock.

"Of course." Jude laughed. Bucky didn't know how to feel, on one hand he felt like he was left out of a clever punchline that involved him which annoyed him. On the other hand, he was frustrated, why couldn't he remember? Why was it so typical and significant that he was the one that cut in on Joanna's time with other men?

"The man has a habit of crashing in on your chances of bone-ing other men," Jude added fire to his raging thoughts.

"What do you mean?" Joanna asked perplexed.

"Brock." Jude reminded.

Bucky felt a shudder of indignation pass through him. He knew exactly who Brock was, a clear picture had formed in his mind that caused on pain, just a lot of rage. Brock was known as Rumlow for a certain of amount of time when he infiltrated SHIELD as a STRIKE agent.

He remembered the man, he was once a young boy and a student of Bucky's. Thinking about him reminded him of Joanna and a flash of what she used to be like in her youth. It was a bit blurry as if her features were hidden behind a mister glass, but he recalled Brock being close to Jo. Closer than he would have liked.

"Ah, him." Joanna sighed and played with the brim of her glass self-consciously. "Well that's a different circumstance, Brock was just—"

"Rebound?" Jude cut in with a haughty grin.

"Yup." Joanna agreed suspiciously swiftly.

"Was Winters your rebound from Stark?"

Bucky blinked and then his eyes narrowed, listening intently with heart pounding anticipation.

"No, never."Joanna had insisted somberly, but then her lips curled up in an amused smile as a snort escaped her nostrils.

"If that were true I would have moved on a long time ago." She added grinning wide.

Jude honestly pitied the woman, despite her carefree nature she saw that the submission made Joanna a little more relaxed as if saying it relieved the pain of being without him.

At least the love of her life is alive. Jude tried not to be bitter about it but it was a thought that surfaced every now and then.

"You are the last person I'd expect to be celibate." Jude mused teasingly earning a frustrated groan from Joanna.

"I know right!" She exclaimed. "Fucking waste of this bombin' booty!"

The corners of Jude's lips curved down in reluctant agreement over Joanna's statement. Bucky hadn't realised this but he was smiling faintly.

Joanna began to reminisce once more and truth be told her heart ached a little at the memories that she treasured the most with Stark.

Tony was the first man she had lowered her nightly defences with enough to fall asleep on his bed. She was a little delirious and confused about her location at first, but the moment the realisation hit she was both scared and calm. It was an odd feeling, she knew there would be repercussions she simultaneously she hadn't cared.

She was happy for the first time in a long time.

Tony had experienced the same sort of happiness and nervousness. He had woken up before her and after admiring her tousled hair and long lashes while she slept, he headed down to prepare breakfast. Tony Stark hadn't attempted to make food since before his butler's passing several years ago. He was eight at the time and Jarvis was indulging the child's desire to make PB & J sandwiches.

Tony wanted to impress Clara, he doubted his technique with PB & J would do. But he had to eventually beg for Pepper's help at the time. His assistant was shocked at first, damn near a stroke at Tony's pleading request. But she uttered no jab or teasing remarks and kindly helped him and hurriedly pulled out items from the fridge.

"You know she would be perfectly happy with PB & J. Clara eats that stuff like it's her only source of nutrition."

"How on earth do you know that Miss Potts?"

"We had lunch a few times."

"Why do I get the feeling that you know her better than I do?"

Pepper smiled mysteriously and continued to cook.

Stark had covered himself in a fine blue silk robe. He carried the tray with a plate filled with a cheese omelet and toast. A tiny white vase complimented with a red rose decorated the object beside a tall glass of orange juice. He knew it was corny and didn't want to demean himself and instead focusing on balancing the tray to the bedroom.

He didn't have to travel long, Clara was already in the living room. She hadn't noticed him attempting to cross the living room to the stairs that led to the bedroom. She was too busy admiring the sparkling view of the sea. The sunlight hit the water directly and dispersed among the shimmering waters like millions of sparkling diamonds.

She was wrapped up in his white bedsheet and rather securely too. The cloth wasn't loose in the slightest and rather expertly tightened in a sailor knot over her chest. The material wasn't trailing along the floor but perfectly hanging around her dainty ankles.

Tony was dazedly admiring her and noticed the purple bruises across her arms and flat areas of her feet. They didn't seem like signs of abuse but more marks one develops in a martial arts class. He was both impressed and extremely aroused.

"Good morning!" He greeted brightly making himself aware.

She glanced over her shoulder and flashed him a radiant smile that sent his heart racing.

"Morning." She purred sending a shiver of delight down his spine. He pushed back his libido and steadily moved walked over to place the tray of food on the coffee table.

"You're breakfast, madam." He announced proudly as he straightened up to his full height once more.

"Wow." Clara breathed in amazement while strolling over to the table. She peered down at the tray and her eyes softened in gratitude.

"I should stay here more often." She mused thoughtfully while picking up the glass of orange juice.

Tony noticed the way her nose crinkled a little at the sight of the rose as if it's stench was particularly unpleasant. The displeasure was momentary as she took a heavy gulp of the juice.

"You don't like roses?" He asked curiously.

"It's beautiful." She smiled at him. "But the smell is just ugh! Got stuck in a room with a Sheikh's niece once and she had marinated herself in this stuff."

Tony's eyebrows had lifted in surprise. The woman had spent time with royalty, which was truly fascinating.

"What kinda flowers do you like?" Stark asked despite the several questions that arose in his mind as a result of her casual statement. He rounded the table in a sudden need to be closer to her, but the desire dissolved to hesitation at the sight of her expression.

Her once twinkling dark eyes were somber and nostalgic as she stared at the rug below her feet. She flexed her bare toes in deep thought.

"Narcissus Orchids." She whispered softly. "They bloom in Winter."

Tony was irked by this, he had never seen her look so sad, so lonesome. But the expression vanished as soon as she blinked.

"Is that a cheese omelet I smell?" She demanded in wonder and bent over to cut a piece with the sharp end of the fork. She stabbed the soft, cooked egg and shoved the slice into her mouth while chewing thoughtfully.

"Did Pepper make this?" She asked casting him a glance. Tony dead-panned, all eager thoughts of an exuberant compliment left his mind.

"Okay are you like gal pals or something? Cause this is just weird."

"Is she here? I wanna say hi."

"No, I specifically said I want you all for myself." He insisted sternly. Clara laughed and then rolled her eyes at his childish ways, but she didn't utter a retort, perfectly comfortable with greeting her friend later. After all, Stark had made her blush too hard to talk.

"Seriously nice place you got here Tony." She noted averting her gaze and trying to seem unaffected by his sweet words.

"I'm aware." He insisted pompously. "Why are you only saying this now? You've been here before."

"Yeah well I was a little distracted to admire the interior, hun." She winked.

"Yeah and you've always skipped out before daylight."

"Calling the kettle black there." She laughed earning a rakish grin from him. Unable to resist the pull of her delectable nature, Tony reeled her in a tight embrace. Clara gasped out in shock when he chuckled wickedly and then buried his face into the crook of her neck.

Her body immediately trembled and she squirmed as if desperate to get out of his hold.

"What is it?" He inquired while kissing the curve of her neck and down to her shoulder.

"Your facial hair is tickling me." She rasped out, biting back her laughter.

"Oh, ticklish are we?" He smiled in amusement as his hands caressed up her sides causing her to worm even further.

"Wonder what else tickles you." He murmured suggestively as his deft fingers danced up to the knot between her breasts. Clara had laughed, charmed by his words and leaned back into his firm body. Tony wanted to see her smile, the one that sent his heart racing like a mouse through a maze.

Stilling his hands on her shapely hips, he forced her to which she didn't object to. Her hands wound around his neck as he leaned down and captured her lips with his.

Joanna had always found it fascinating how easily distracted she was by Tony Stark, however at that time a familiar tune began to play around them, snapping her out of her concentration. She pulled away as the song became clearer, the melody was fast paced, loud and extremely catchy.

"What is that?" She murmured in awe, against his lips.

"That's just my mouth sweetheart; I know it's hard to believe it's so soft."

"No, I mean that sound." She snorted amused by his words but still curious about the sound .

"I know this song." She said mainly to herself.

Pour some sugar on me!

Ooo in the name of love

Tony watched in fascination as Clara tapped her foot along to the beat, her head nodding in wonder. It amazed him that despite all her intelligence, wit, and class. She seemed to be new to pop culture as if she was taught everything else when it came to life, expect basic pleasures.

"Do you like it?" He asked his lips brushing against the shell of her ear, regaining her attention.

"Yes." She grinned up at him.

"I've noticed you are a lover of music." Tony mused observing her with a fond twinkle in his amber eyes.

"Who isn't?" She responded cheekily.

"I mean we seem to have similar tastes. Figured as much since our first meeting and that time at the in the party." He spoke while tracing the curve of her left shoulder down her bare arm, causing her skin to prickle.

"That was fun." She murmured aroused by the memory.

"It was." He smiled leaned in for a kiss and then abruptly denied her the pleasure.

"SO in honor of that I kinda got something for you!" He announced loudly while rifling through the pocket of his silk robe.

Joanna was watching him carefully. She was trained to be cautious of people pulling out unidentified items from within confinements in their clothing. But she was more interested in his strangely, nervous manner. He had his head lowered and she stared as he pulled out a palm-sized velvet black box.

"When I mean got I'm lying." He continued to mumble while stroking a ringed thumb over the surface of the box. "I kinda made this. It's not a big deal but maybe you will find it more useful than all those wired junk."

Joanna remembered how nervously her heart was thundering as she tried to keep her composure. _Please don't be a ring, please God, don't be a ring._

She accepted the item and lifted the lid as calmly as possible. A heavy sigh of relief escaped her lips at the sight of the contents.

"Earrings?" She breathed out in question as she gazed down at the gleaming, silver, round studs within the box. She aimed an incredulous glance up at him with a sharp lift of her left eyebrow.

"Ha-ha." He muttered with a roll of his eyes and pinched one accessory out and held it to her.

"Wireless earphones." He had explained. He pressed a hidden button that caused the fake diamond glass in the centre of the stud to light up in a soft, blue glow. " It can lock on to frequencies, Bluetooth operated but has its own storing capabilities too."

 _What the shit?!_ She had screamed in amazement in her mind. Her body was jittery with glee as butterflies exploded in her stomach. Never in all her life had Joanna received such a priceless gift, endless possibilities began to form in her mind and she struggled to voice her gratitude.

"Tony this is..." Her words trailed off as she continued to gape at the gift. Tony was amused by her genuine admiration .

"Try it out first." He insisted while gently reaching out to her. Joanna waited patiently as he lovingly slipped one device into her ear hole and then proceeded to fill the other.

The melody that filled the air around them seemed to magically filter through her ears and fill her mind so deeply that the outside world was lost. The music was deafening but the best kind. It was like she had her own theme music in her head and all she saw was him.

What do you think? He had suddenly gone mute from her perspective. She beamed, the idea of no longer being able to hear outside voices filled her with so much glee that she practically pounced on the man.

The gasp that escaped the base of his throat didn't get a chance to leave his lips because Clara had smothered him with heated kisses. The force of her embrace resulted in them falling onto the couch.

"How can I thank you for this?" She whispered between kisses.

"Two ways." Tony moaned as she made her way down his neck while pulling apart the lapels of his robe.

"One is what you are doing now which is great." He enthused earning a laugh from her that was muffled between his chest.

"The other is, the ball tonight." He added. She stilled and then raised her gaze to his.

"The one full of pretentious rich people?"

"Yes."

She smiled. "Yes."

"So that's how you wound up taking Stark as your date for that all black ball," Jude responded while Joanna toyed with her gift nostalgically.

"Yup." She answered.

"The name of the place escapes me," Jude added.

"The Magnet."

* * *

 _"Winters."_

Bucky didn't know if it was the name of the place that left her lips or the fact that he was absorbing so much familiar information but, he was having a memory, and it hit hard and unexpected.

He knew exactly what happened at the Magnet.

It was the first time he had seen her since she was sixteen.

He had been prowling up the side of the white walls of the luxury hotel. He stuck to the shadows, blending into the night and stealthily climbed up the balcony doors that were left open for him.

Bucky had only one mission that night. Camp within the office space he was given access to and wait for the signal to end Holiday's life. But something pulled him away from the shadows that night, fate or curiosity, he did not know but he gave in.

His section of the building was relatively deserted but the moment he stepped out into the corridor he could see into the courtyard. It was converted into the party area, the theme was casino night. There were several Blackjack tables spaced out in the great hall. People were bustling about, listening to the music, downing drinks and betting cash.

Bucky remembered gazing down at them with a jaded look, indifferent to their enjoyment until he saw her.

He knew her laughter anywhere, even over the thumping music and chatter. He spotted her by the bar downing shots with a practiced ease and she had the biggest smile on her face.

He recalled how his heart had fluttered an excitement he hadn't felt in years simmered through his body. But the pure joy had swiftly crumbled and twisted into feelings of envy and irritation when a man reeled her into the dance floor.

Bucky didn't know who he was at the time, but from the tailored suit, groomed hair and clean shaven face, he knew the man was upper class and entitled. The stranger had held her close and was whispering things into her ear that made her laugh.

Her beautiful face was alight with glee, her smile was radiant and Bucky had felt weak at the knees. He clung to the shadows but continued to watch her enthusiastically.

An older gentleman approached the couple, distracting her date from their conversation. She was listening too until something had caught her attention. Bucky swore he had seen her ear twitch and then her head snapped about in a swift alertness.

Then, she looked up and their eyes met.

She reflected his astonishment but at a great intensity. He was certain she couldn't possibly see him, but at the same time, he felt completely naked under her dark gleaming eyes.

 _Winters._

She had mouthed and a tingling of longing swept through his body. He retreated to the room in a sudden need to flee and mask the sound of his pounding heart.

He returned to his position by the window, sticking to the curtains, but he had a feeling she would find him, she always did.

He smirked rather fondly and waited patiently for her arrival.

It hadn't been long, ten minutes tops when the door creaked open and she snuck in.

The streetlamp and moonlight filtered in through the window in a white light, bathing the surface of the Afghan carpet. She strutted in, he heard the sound of her heels clicking in the darkness as her seductive silhouette approached.

She stepped into the light and his pulse galloped.

The years had been more than generous to her. The fiery, acne ridden faced, wild child with missing dentures he once remembered was replaced by a tall, confident beauty. Maybe it had been the years of companionship that he was denied, but in that moment, Joanna was the most breathtaking human being he had ever seen.

She was in that black, figure-hugging dress, the one that flashed in his mind once at the woods. This was the moment his mind had been trying to remember.

They had held each other's gazes for the longest time until shockingly, he broke the silence.

"Don't let my appearance stop you from having a good time." It was foreign how teasing he sounded, like a man he once knew.

" Please, that was totally your intention." She scoffed with a wide roll of her eyes, despite the sarcasm in her words she was smirking with her arms crossed.

"They told me they were sending in an agent, I didn't know it was you."

"Surprised?" He asked.

"Pleasantly." She grinned.

He had wanted to smile but it was as if his body wasn't used to it and his face had hurt, so instead he pulled up a long, metal briefcase off the floor and laid it out on the table before him.

"Hurry brat, we have a small window of an opening." He said while unpacking his sniper gear.

"Literally." He muttered under his breath.

While he kept his hands busy by assembling the weapon, Joanna began to circle him like a hawk. He was extremely aware of her piercing stare, leisurely moving up his form like a pair of warm hands. He ignored the feeling and tried to ignore her but it was harder than camping in an icy cave waiting for a target to pass.

He managed to set up the gun in record time and then position just at the corner of the frame of the window. He tested the air, judged the movement of the wind and aiming the barrel of the gun to his target.

Holiday was seated at his table, his head of snow white hair facing them as he chatted to a mysterious person on the phone. Bucky waited patiently for the man to finish his call.

"What's up with you being quiet?" Joanna suddenly demanded in a soft whisper while he stood hunched over the rifle. He glanced at her trying to seem nonchalant even though her close proximity was causing him a great deal of stress.

"I am always quiet." He had mumbled.

"Not this much." She mused with a frown.

"Oh shit are we being observed?—No we are not." Her alert reaction and frantic darting of the eyes last a few seconds. Bucky remembered finding it funny but not expressing his amusement.

"Fine whatever you are in a mood, let's get this over with." She grumbled, disappointed she wasn't receiving the reaction she craved.

"Nice goggles." She suddenly added teasingly, reminding him of his head gear. "You know it's dark out and we are not ten feet under water, right?"

"You are distracting me." He muttered irately while focusing on his target through the scope.

"The voice or the looks." She purred sending a shiver of longing down his spine.

He turned to her shocked by her candor, she grinned back daring him to respond.

"Are you in position?" Frankie's voice was brick to the head, shattering the playful air between the two and polluting it in some way.

"Yes. Target is locked." Joanna was quick to reply through her mouthpiece.

"Fire when ready." Frankie insisted.

Bucky remembered all too well when the sense of vertigo kicked in. The world suddenly felt out of balance, it was a reaction of his every time he felt the pressure of pulling the trigger, the anticipation of ending another life. It was the feeling he got right before the disassociation kicked in and he felt detached from his body. Then his index finger would grace the trigger and then gently pushed down.

He felt the tremor of the bullet leaving the gun, whizzing through the air and impacting Holiday straight to the back of his skull.

A stiff stillness always followed, as if the air was absorbing his misdeed.

He had been extremely aware of Joanna's breathing, it was low and deep. He glanced in her direction and she was staring at their victim. It was hard to read her expression, he didn't know if she was in shock or indifference. But she calmly raised her hand, pressed down to her ear piece and said the final words.

"Mission Accomplished, Ma'am." She breathed into the transmitter.

" Excellent, you may return to base, Agent."Bucky had heard their handler respond.

"Base?" Joanna echoed unable to hide her shock from him. "I am relieved from my post here at NYU?"

"You and Francine both. There is an extraction chopper ready at the roof, be there in thirty."

"Yes, Ma'am."

She had hesitated in accepting the order. As if realizing her mistake her dark eyes suddenly darted to him. There was a flicker of fear in her eyes as if she hadn't trusted him to keep quiet about her reluctance. Bucky had remembered feeling betrayed by her mistrust, but then again he didn't blame her yet he couldn't remember why.

They had arrived at the roof several minutes before Frankie and Crabbe. Bucky listened to the honking of the street cars and observed the lamp lights, but his mind was focused on Joanna.

She was sitting at the edge of the roof and sulking all by her lonesome and he knew exactly why. He was tempted to comfort her, his body ached to but it was against the rules. Giving into his compassion meant he had disregarded all of what Hydra and the KGB had warned him against. What he had pushed himself away from years ago.

He knew the consequences, saw and felt them with his own body, he never wanted to wish it upon her.

Yet…

He heard the chopper in a distance, he guessed it would take them a few minutes to arrive. He approached her stealthily, seemingly aloof as he gazed over the edge from beside her, down at the pedestrians.

"Ready?" He asked.

She had her knees pulled to her chest, her stare was dazed while her chin rested on her crossed arms.

"Yeah." She mumbled ."Just need a minute."

He nodded understandingly. A tense silence fell between them. Bucky admired the stars above them, there were less in the city.

"I didn't get attached." She abruptly spoke up.

"I know."He mumbled.

"It was nice to let loose a little you know?"

"I know." He whispered unable to hide the empathy in the baritone of his voice.

Joanna nodded and began to stand up but she was surprised when she felt a warm hand curve around her elbow. Her startled gaze moved up and she locked eyes with him. He had taken off the goggles she had teased about but she was relieved, Bucky always had a beautiful face, one that hadn't changed at all over the years.

She felt a sudden charge of electricity pierce her skin and he retracted his hand as if he felt it too.

"Sorry,goodbye" She mumbled apologetically blaming the sensation on her powers. He shook his head dismissively and turned away from her just as the chopper landed on the helipad, forcing her ponytail to whip about madly.

Joanna remembered how lousy she had felt about leaving Tony without so much as a goodbye. She had hoped he had forgotten her just as easily as he dismissed most women from his brilliant mind. But she knew her abandonment would have some effect on his ego.

So to avoid thinking about such depressing thoughts she did what she usually did, focus on something else. When Frankie, Crabbe, Jo, and Winters returned to the Hydra Tower in New York.

Despite being called a Tower it was thoroughly misleading from the outside. The front was an ordinary mansion that leads deep underground where Hydra housed several agents and trainees. Joanna had spent a majority of her youth behind those walls until she was transferred to Serbia when she was 16. When she first met the Winter Soldier.

Speaking of, she hadn't been able to take her eyes off him since they arrived. She would eye him subtly and when they had to take different directions from the long, grey wall corridor she stared at him longingly.

"Damn." She whispered under her breath while watching him walk away, her keen gaze was centered on his broad back and down to his firm derrière

"What?"

Frankie had a bad habit of eavesdropping and Joanna had a bad habit of avoiding her problems, but she didn't see that as something negative, it was the only way she survived.

"Nothing I just," Joanna grumbled.

"I forgot how good he looks in those pants."

"Seriously?" Frankie had given her a frank look of disgust.

"Him? Isn't he into red heads?"

Joanna closed her eyes and resisted the urge to sigh despairingly, she was hoping not to be reminded of Bucky supposed past fling that everyone knew about but never spoke of. But still she didn't believe just from one incident the man was committed to red heads, he was a mystery wrapped up in an enigma. No one really knew him.

"What, a chick can't dye her hair?" Jo countered brazenly with one hand posed at the curve of her hip. She had expected for Frankie to bite back in the way she usually did, but the woman's face stricken and Jo swore she seemed concerned.

"He is the dog of Hydra. You want to get with him you gotta get into the kennel." She said in warning.

Jo was never the type to be intimidated easily. Which was one of the main reasons she got into so much trouble as a kid.

"Tight spaces, sounds like fun." She winked suggestively earning an exasperated look from her colleague.

"Francine."

The two immediately stiffened their postures in alertness. The stern-featured, broad-shouldered, Madame Crabbe approached. The woman marched over in her three-inch heels,grey, tailored pencil skirt and white blouse. Her slick, ebony hair was pinned up in a tight bun and her sharp features were cruel.

"Yes, Ma'am?" Frankie was quick to respond as Jo stood silently beside her.

"Doctor Angelica is requesting your presence." The woman announced and then turned, expecting Frankie to follow.

Jo was quick to notice the rush of colour to the woman's pale skin. Frankie glanced at her slyly and Joanna wiggled her eyebrows notoriously. Frankie snarled and then stepped after her supervisor leaving Joanna in the hallway.

Her smile remained until the two women disappeared behind a sharp turn, then her grin abruptly fell as despair took over her eyes.

She recalled very vividly how helpless and irritated she felt from having her one pure moment of freedom taken away from her so abruptly. She had hoped they would have more time, she knew it wasn't going to be an easy transition but never predicted how heavy her heart was after leaving Tony.

"Вре́мя - лу́чший до́ктор" She mumbled under her breath, her expression grew jaded as she continued to repeat the words, falling into a dark abyss in her mind.

* * *

Jude stared in silence as Joanna gazed afar, as if she was avoiding eye contact, suddenly insecure of all she had said.

The mechanic pitied the woman entirely, knowing full well of the choice she had made at the pain she suppressed from all the lessons she learned from Hydra. The cruel, malicious curriculum that was run by fear and manipulation.

Jude understood full well how easily Hydra could come in and remove even the slightest glimpse of happiness with a surgeon's precision. Joanna was staring at the mattress with her glass cupped between her hands and quietly running the tips of her thumbs over against the brim of the cup.

Вре́мя - лу́чший до́ктор

Time is the best healer, Bucky translated in his mind. The words were extremely familiar, he had heard them before and wondered who had uttered the infamous proverb. He doubted its validity.

"Does it really Jo?" Jude questioned as if voicing his thoughts.

"Here is hoping." He heard Joanna mumble and then her voice was followed by the clinking of crystal. She had toasted the end of her recital of her short-lived affair with Tony Stark.

"She disappeared, just like that?" Kevin demanded as a jaded look over the former playboy's face.

"Just like that." The man responded but his voice was soft, detached almost. But Kevin was a quick reader and he saw the anguish the underlined the man's grim expression. He had been more hurt by Isabelle's abandonment than he cared to admit.

Odell was immediately empathetic and remorseful of his previously undermining tone.

"Tony—"

"It's in the past." Stark cut in, getting to his feet and stretching nonchalantly. I've moved on but I will help you find her."

Kevin fell silent and then look to Valerie. She had been completely absorbed by the story but her eyes were soft in sympathy. Their eyes met and he was about to fill the silence when his phone abruptly began to ring.

It was Steve, he quickly answered the call.

"Hey, Cap." He greeted slowly but then his dark brows suddenly furrowed in concern."What? You are kidding...no Valerie and I are on the way."

Alerted by his flighty movements Tony and Valerie both look tot he male. Valerie was on her feet when Kevin's frazzled, dark gaze fell to her.

"What is it?" Tony demanded.

"We need to get to Olli's place now!" Kevin exclaimed tucking his phone into his back pocket and practically marching to the door.

"Why, what's wrong?" Valerie questioned while following after him.

"Jessica, she is back." He announced. Tony's eyes widened in shock as Valerie's head snapped between the two, echoing her confusion.

"Who the hell is Jessica?" Valeria had demanded loudly just as Kevin grasped her by the wrist and yanked her out the door.


	11. Reunion

**Guest: Hi, thanks for the review. Sorry about the line breakers thing and yeah I agree with you on that. This story was originally supposed to be updated a lot sooner but life gets in the way.** Anyway **I hope you continue to like the story and not get too confused with all the OCs :D.**

 **Oddball: Haha Odd as always, love you so much girl. Well more Bianca/Jessica is to come so stay tuned, and yes more Bucky/** Jo ness **is about to come believe me. I am sorry that I take so long to update, work is so freaking hectic. I am shocked I even found a way to publish this story .. Thank you so much for your patience!**

 **Jo: Lol Totally.**

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Sorry ** _I took so long to update. Life is...challenging._** ANyway ** _new chapter! let me know what you guys think_** Ill ** _try to update as soon as possible. Plus guest star_** whoot whoot ** _. Let me know what you think of DP ;)._**

 ** _xx_**

 ** _SSC_**

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Bucky had trouble sleeping after the whole revelation. That and the pounding headache that surfaced from recalling too much too fast. He was still processing the memory that had rolled through his mind and all he knew now of Joanna.

He still didn't know how he felt about her and Tony. By his calculations it was a incident that happened several years ago and Bucky and her had gotten together long after that.

He wished he could remember.

It was getting increasingly frustrating, he was tired of being restless over the matter and left his room. He headed to the kitchen to fill his stomach with anything to distract him from his thoughts. He travelled down the dark corridor, entered the large room and made a beeline to the fridge.

He pulled open the hefty door and gazed about the contents lazily. Jude and Jack kept their food supplies stocked to perfection, there were all sorts of delicious ingredients within the fridge, but Bucky had his eye only on one object.

A carton of milk.

He grabbed the tall, rectangular box, shut the door, picked up a ceramic mug from the dish rack and meandered over to the counter in the middle. He straddled the wooden stool and poured himself a glass of milk while running his fingers through his tousled hair.

"I knew it."

Bucky stopped sipping at his glass of milk and posed his lips at the rim of the crystal and looked in the direction of the voice.

It was Joanna. She was leaning against the frame of the entrance. She was smirking smugly in his direction and her eyes were narrowed playfully. She was dressed down in to a long pair of plaid pajama pants and white tank top.

"I told Jack you were the milk thief but he was all like, there is no way a badass like that enjoys milk." Joanna continued to babble on while approaching him. She stopped by the counter to pick up the jar of cookies stored in a ceramic bowl, shaped like a sitting panda.

Bucky was taken aback by how easily she slipped on to the stool beside him. He wasn't accustomed to someone being so close to him without a hidden agenda. He eyed her speculatively, she had pulled off the head of the inanimate panda and had her hand shoved into the jar.

"He thinks you survive on the blood of unicorns and protein bars with extra protein." She added grabbing him out of his thoughts. Bucky blinked, absorbing her words and replaying them in his mind. A tiny smirk managed to worm its way on to his lips. He turned away, a little abashed and focused his gaze on to the glass nestled in his hands.

"Those chocolate chip granola bars aren't too bad." He mumbled under his breath, trying to seem nonchalant. Joanna was silent, he cast her a glance. She was beaming, her eyes were glittering in glee.

"Thank you for saying such wondrous words." She murmured in awe. Bucky didn't understand what was so amusing. His lips pursued to question her, but a request hastily left her mouth.

"May I dunk?" She asked. He stared, perplexed. His gaze drifted down to the round, dark Oreo biscuit between her finger tips. He suddenly understood what she was asking.

He nodded, surprisingly himself and reluctantly pushed the glass in her direction. She grinned and gestured the cookie to him.

"Do you remember this?"

He eyed the cookie, wondering if she was referring to the situation or the treat.

"No." He answered referring to both.

"Well, you will." She said with her continued optimism.

She didn't soak the Oreo right away, instead she split apart the sandwiched biscuits. One side had the entire cream centre glued to its face.

"Oh you lucked out; all the cream's on this side." She exclaimed and then dunked the plainer face into the milk. She handed him the soaked cookie.

She waited patiently for him to accept it, he did so very carefully. Holding her expectant gaze, he took a bite of the biscuit and was immediately awed at the sweet sensation.

Joanna saw the flickers of wonder in his blue eyes and her grin widened.

"Good right?"

He didn't respond verbally and shrugged in a cool manner, but he practically gobbled down the cookie.

"You have an unhealthy addiction to junk food." He noted. Bucky had been observing Joanna for the past few days, especially when they were on the road. She had been trying to make up for her lost time in prison and ate whatever she fancied. It amazed him that none of the trans-fats settled in her figure, although he had caught her sitting around stroking her bloated belly from time to time, openly content.

"Damn straight."She exclaimed proudly, then a wickedly playful smile took over her pretty face.

"You wanna help me burn the calories?" She said in a suggestive murmur that made his eyebrows lift little. He struggled to meet her gleaming gaze and she found that highly entertaining in an extremely adorable way.

"So, did you enjoy my story?" She asked. Bucky was grateful for the change in subject but he was also perplexed by the question.

"Story?" He echoed, the skin between his eyebrows pinched together, reflecting his inner confusion.

She sent him a roguish look while nibbling innocently at her cookie.

"Yeah my woeful tale of my time in New York with Stark."

He stilled and grew wide eyed.

Bucky felt his pulse race a little, it was a new sensation, the slight anxiety in being caught in his stealthy acts.

He didn't know if he should be wary. She seemed more amused than annoyed about having her privacy invaded.

"You knew I bugged the room." He said, trying to minimize the doubt he was experiencing.

"I sense electronic objects remember." She responded haughtily.

"Did Jude know?"

"Nope, otherwise it would be staged right?" She winked.

Bucky stared while chewing pensively at the insides of his cheeks, unsure of how to respond.

She chuckled lightly, it was a soft soothing sound.

"It's okay I get it, I would have been just as mistrustful given your situation." She said in a kindness he wasn't expecting, he suddenly felt patronized.

 _My situation?_ His lips curled up into a sneer that he tried to suppress. He didn't like the continued ambiguity in her words, especially when it was regarding him. Even though she had promised answers, it was taking too long.

"You seem to know more about it than I." He commented wryly.

"I was there a few times." She murmured abruptly uncomfortable.

He took the opportunity and leaned forward, demanding her attention with a harsh glare.

"If we were such pals, or as close as you said we were. Why have you never tried to help me?" He sneered out in question. She paused in reaching for another biscuit and looked to him. Her expression was grave but there was a deep sorrow in her eyes.

"I can't answer that." She said.

"Why not." He demanded hotly.

"You know why." She answered calmly, aggravating him further.

"Your mind is chaotic right now and if I say anything I shouldn't—It just needs to be handled by a professional."

"Heard that before." He scoffed gripping tightly at the edge of the table. Ill-concealed anger began to tremor through his body. His mind began to flash images of his tragic days in the KGB, the torture, the commands. His eye began to twitch and his head throbbed from the painful remembrance.

Hydra's methods weren't as brutal but they were just as bad. They played a different game, their tricks of brainwashing were far more advanced and effective.

"Hydra was full of professionals who were great at mind meddling." He reminded gruffly shooting her a disdainful look.

"That is not what I meant." She countered bravely. "You are just fragile."

"Fragile?" He hissed shooting up to his feet. She flinched at his sudden, irate actions.

"Don't talk to me like I am some nut job." He snapped, baring his teeth at her.

"All I want is answers and you are keeping things from me and I am sick of it!"

Bucky's heart was racing from the seething energy that made his blood pump, his powerful chest was rising and falling rapidly. His heated gaze was focused on her, expecting a stammering explanation.

Joanna stared, the startled astonishment in her eyes faded away. Her dark eyes took on that guarded, stone cold look that he was so irked by. Her posture changed from relaxed and playful, to strict and professional in a manner of seconds. She crossed her right leg over her left knee, squared her shoulders, leaned back into her seat and then looked to him coolly.

"That's not what this is really about." She stated in a matter of fact tone that threw him off his war path. A glint of annoyance flickered in her ebony gaze, dissolving any retort he had prepared in his mouth.

"You are just pissed off I got the jump on you spying on me cause heaven forbid someone actually knows what the fuck you are doing." She bit back in lashing words he was not expecting.

"I think it actually bothers you that I know so much about you."

The brutal deduction in her statement jarred and irritated him.

"Yeah it does bother me, because I don't know a single thing about you." He responded a little less confident than before.

"Well yelling at me is only going to get you so far, bub." She countered briskly.

"Maybe if you actually tried to have a decent conversation with me without being on the attack all the time."

Bucky scowled, degraded by her declaration. He huffed stubbornly under his breath, resisting the urge to walk away. However, Joanna had more to say.

"If you are feeling so caged here then just leave, you are not a captive." She said frankly, grabbing his attention.

"I am not going to lock you up in some refrigerator and take you out whenever I feel like it like some microwave dinner." She continued petulantly.

"Maybe the reason you are so unsettled is because you are actually being treated like a normal human being for a change in a group of people who has no interest in probing you."

The anger in his expression melted away and all that was left was pure wonder. He looked to her and their gazes met. The roles were suddenly reversed, she had become to huffy irritated one and Bucky was staring speechlessly.

Shame consumed his insides, remorseful of his quick judgment and rage towards her. It had happened again, he had lashed out at her, something he can't seem to stop doing. His woeful stare wandered over her pretty face which was once prettier if he hadn't hurt her. The bruise was still prominent even though the cuts were starting to heal.

She was furious with him, that much was obvious, but she was controlling it rather well. Her face however was flushed from the rush.

"Except me, but that's different." She added.

Suddenly her eyes widened and a heavy blush took over her cheeks. She looked away, embarrassed of the confession that left her mouth.

"Shut the fuck up Jo, God." She cursed harshly to herself, followed by a heavy, abashed sigh.

"Fucking embarrassing yourself, keep it in your pants." She continued to scold and then clumsily stood up.

Joanna turned to leave, she needed to get away from him. So much for a nice chat with a glass of milk between comrades. All he wanted was answers, answers she couldn't give him without hurting him. Winters was the only person who could make her feel both annoyed and sexually frustrated without any prompting.

Well, maybe a little prompting. The lost puppy looks he gave her were dangerously tempting.

 _I must be some sadistic freak. The man clearly needs help and all I can think about is boning him. Then combing his hair and feeding him cookies._

She need to get away, stat.

Joanna had every intention of leaving, she was almost at the door, her back was turned firmly to him and she was only an inch away when.

"I am getting memories."

His announcement stopped the movement of her legs and her train of thought.

The swirling tension in the room suddenly fell stagnant and there was only the silence that stretched on. She stood hoping for him to fill it.

"They come in flashes and they are random but I still have them." He continued, knowing she was listening.

Joanna had her hands clenched by her sides. She stared at the open door with shivering, eager eyes, but then her whole body relaxed in defeat.

"Why do you always choose moments like these to blurt out stuff like that?" She sighed wearily.

Bucky was consumed by a wave or relief when she turned to him once more. He didn't want her to leave, despite his persistence in being hostile. He was drawn to her, he wanted her close but the intensity was overwhelming, terrifying even.

Maybe…maybe it was the reason why he lashed out, **that** and _other_ frustrations.

She was rooted to her position before the entrance. She eyed him curiously and he looked away, feeling nervous and wary.

"I was only walking away to save you from my rambling, I am not actually mad at you." She mumbled, he knew it was her way of easing the air between them.

He smirked and looked to her, the dents of amusement deepened at the sides of his face.

"You are a little mad." He mused, she rolled her eyes.

"Sick of being accused of things I didn't do." She grumbled while stomping in his direction. She returned to her stool, straddled the object and then gestured her open hand to him.

"Sorry, back to your problem." She said, fixating a serious gaze onto him.

"Are they around when you sleep or do they come during the day?"

"Both." He admitted reluctantly.

"Do you fight it?"

"Sometimes." He murmured lowering his eyes to the gleaming surface of the table. "My head starts pounding and then there are these sharp pains."

"My head starts pounding and then there are these sharp pains."

"Are there any particular ones?" She asked.

"What do you mean?" He responded, unsure on how to answer her inquiry.

"Like is there a pattern? Like some of them hurt and some of them don't."

"Yeah." He whispered, amazed by how specific her questions were. It was as if she knew all of his symptoms like a practiced physician.

"Most of them are the ones with you in it." He added.

"Oh." She blinked, surprised by his confession. Bucky couldn't help but feel abashed by her stunned reaction, especially when she grinned blithely.

"That's flattering." She said beaming.

"Flattering?" He echoed.

She had lowered her gaze for a moment, a dazed look had taken over her eyes as if she was dwelling on a pleasant memory.

"Sorry." She apologized, snapping out of her thoughts, but the dreamy smile still remained.

"The ones that hurt, like your skull is about to split open. Those are the ones that Hydra had tampered with, the ones they did not want you to unlock. The ones that react with the Amygdala."

"You know a lot about this stuff." He said, openly impressed.

"Yeah went through it with Chuck—The professor." She said with a smug smile, but the glee slowly vanished as she observed him.

"I have a brother-" She paused in her announcement to scrutinize him uncertainly.

"You sure you ready to hear about my past, or would you rather just yell at me some more?"

The teasing tone and glimmering eyes struck him right in the heart. He was taken aback by the sudden, unexpected feeling. But Bucky held on to his straying cool and smiled just as playful.

"You're past, without the deflection." He responded rather wittily, earning a laugh from her.

He eyed her longingly, she was really attractive when she expressed merriment. He was subconsciously folding his arms and slanting towards her, desiring to be close and listen to all she had to say.

"I have a brother; twin, fraternal in case you get your hopes up."

"Why would I get my hopes up?" His eyebrows furrowed in confusion once more.

"How does the possibility of a male version of me with my good looks not amaze you?"

"Since he is a male, he is obviously not your identical twin."

"Okay Mister Technical." She grumbled with a wide eye roll at his all knowing tone.

"So yeah his name is Kevin." She continued to say. "I don't like remembering my family much, mainly because I don't want to and I've pushed my parents into a dark room in my mind that I have no intention of opening, ever. Kevin however…I made an exception cause he didn't sell me out to Hydra like my dad did or let it happen like my mom had."

"Your parents gave you up?" He asked softly, anxiously trying to digest the concern and shock he was experiencing.

Joanna was struggling just as equally. Her parents were always a sensitive topic, one that she had stored and locked away in her mind without a key of any sort. But then again, Winters was a trigger for her, being around him made her vulnerable in ways he didn't recall. Holding onto her emotions was suddenly an unbearable struggle, the only way she knew to move forward was to ignore his question.

"I kept certain memories of my brother and I." She pushed on. "Stupid stuff like the games we played when we were kids or how I pushed him into the pool this one time and then raced back into the house and locked the door so he was forced to be in the cold."

Bucky gaped in slight shock. She grinned pompously.

"Yeah I was a real asshole."

He didn't disagree and continued to listen with rapt attention.

"There was this psychiatrist named Doctor Angelica. She had a special interest in me because of my gift. Saw me as a challenge, a key to learn the mysteries of the mutant mind."

He was paying very close attention to her, to every single flicker or twitch of emotion. Her lips were currently were pressed down tightly and there was a guarded look in her otherwise glittering eyes.

"Did she hurt you?" He asked, knowing there were feelings of trauma she was repressing.

"No, all we did was talk and drink this herbal shit that smelt like cow turd. She was the one that engineered that drug that helped me with my episodes. Turns out the reactions were a side effect of her attempting to control me and unfortunately it had worked." She said solemnly.

"I didn't know any of this until the Professor read my mind and I had done things, said things that I don't remember saying."

She abruptly looked to him and Bucky was alarmed by the fear she expressed that demanded his utmost attention.

"You have to understand that my mind was something that Hydra hadn't tampered with, my powers protected me from their methods and what she did—made me lose all sense of myself. I didn't feel safe in my own body."

Her honest admission, in all its vulnerability and apprehension hit him hard. Bucky felt his heart squeeze in empathy. She didn't seem like the confident, carefree Joanna that continued to keep secrets in that moment. He saw a human being with fears that matched his.

He felt connected to her, he knew how to identify with the feelings she spoke of because they mirrored his own.

"You felt violated." He acknowledged his gaze lowering. "I am familiar with that feeling."

"I am familiar with that feeling."

"I know you are, handsome. Its why I told you." She smiled lovingly.

He was awed by the purity in her grin and felt a hot blush fill his skin.

"Did you ever see him again?" He asked referring to her sibling.

"No. I think it's safer for him without me in his life. Besides, the last time I checked he was doing pretty well for himself. Had a group of friends, an apartment, he is living a simple life." The dazed look took over her eyes again but they were more solemn than dreamy.

"I can't disturb that." She murmured in a heartbreaking tone full of despair.

"So you don't have an endgame?"

"What do you mean?"

"Surviving." He said holding her stare calmly. "It's all gotta count for something."

He felt like a fraud, a hypocrite, asking her such a question. He never truly believed there was anything to survive for before. After getting out of Hydra, Bucky had suffered an existential crisis and wondered what was the point. He had started to remember all the pain and death he had caused and the guilt had become unbearable at one point. The only thing that had kept him going was the anger that burned his blood, the hatred he held for Hydra. He knew the moment he was done lashing out there would be nothing but pain and anguish.

Until he met her, now he wasn't so sure anymore. There was a renewed hope in him that had no definition.

Joanna took a while to answer his question. She was staring down at her hands in a nervous way he had never seen before in her. She was apprehensively bending back the tip of her pinky with her thumb and forefinger. Her lips were pursed in thought and then a low sigh escaped her lips.

"I went for a long time thinking I didn't deserve one." She murmured woefully.

"Now?" He asked, moving closer.

"I think I have to earn it, by making up for all the shit in the past." She said with a weary smile.

"We may have left Hydra but we carry the baggage, Hun."

Bucky was stunned, not by her mischievous smirk but the steel wall behind her dark eyes, the one that desperately tried to hide a deeper more profound sadness.

She turned away again and Bucky was hit with the worry that she wished to no longer speak. He didn't want that, he wanted to know more about her.

"Is that why you are helping me?" He asked gently, fighting back the urge to graze his finger tips over her skin.

"Among other reasons." She said under her breath.

"Reasons that are far too dangerous to reveal now."

"Why?" He questioned, close to the point where the crisp, tiny hairs on his arm were touching her.

She looked to him, their eyes met. He felt his breathing hitch from the heat that danced in her onyx gaze. Her stare dropped to his lips and Bucky suddenly felt parched, not for water, for her.

"Because it might stir memories that will cause more harm than good." Her voice was delectably raspy, he was so lost in the sound that he almost didn't heed the caution in her words.

He was watching her mouth, the way her soft, plump lips were parted invitingly, aching to be kissed. He wanted to, so badly that it physically hurt to not be closer. He shifted in his seat as his folded arms slide nearer to her.

"I don't know if I care about the consequences." He hummed hoarsely, his eyelids heavy with longing. He was desperate for a release, for the warmth of another. Despite his early reluctance, Jo was an appealing subject. He didn't care about the ramifications of what he suggested. He wanted her, just for a night, just to rid of this throat drying need.

"I do." She gulped.

Bucky was only a few inches away. His fingers slackened and moved, ready to abandon the surface of the table and cup the sides of her face the way his mind beckoned him to. But she abruptly met his stare and they were shining in a pleading desperation, not for a kiss but warily, as if she was suddenly afraid of what the crackling heat between them promised.

"Which I know is not something you are accustomed to, but its fact. I care about you."

He stilled at her words and his desire to devour her. His skin no longer felt like it was on fire but the flames had wormed its way to his heart. He was caught under the stare of pure fealty, not just that but something intense.

He didn't understand it and frankly he was intimidated by the passion, yet his pumping heart reacted in an ecstatic familiarity.

However he was still scared because he found himself believing her sweet words, and trust was something that he considered hollow.

"JO!"

The couple was jolted out of their heated moment at the sudden scream that echoed between the walls. Bucky was swiftly on his feet with a gun at the ready, barrel aimed at the entrance to the door. He shot a sideways glance at Jo to find her poised defensively with a knife clenched in a fist.

Jude abruptly raced in, panting and flustered and dressed like she had just stepped in from the snowy forest outside. She was frantically unwrapping the dark green, woolen scarf from around her neck while breathing heavily.

"We need to get to the panic room. NOW!" She screamed racing up to them.

Bucky glanced at Jo who was unperturbed by Jude's alarm and was lowering her weapon.

"Way to kill a mood—"

"No time for talking, just running." The mechanic grabbed Jo by the wrist and yanked her to the exit. Bucky stared bewildered but Jude yelled at him once more insisting he follow.

* * *

Jo was very vocal in her protests but Jude continued to drag her down the winding corridors, past Jack's room (whom she wheeled with them) and straight to a wide metal door. The stare the Winter Solider had fixated on the steel door was shrewd, but it was really to mask his anxiousness.

Panic room or not, he did not want to step into another enclosed room, not again. But Jude hurried everyone in and Bucky reluctantly followed. The safe room was sparse of furniture except for a large wooden crater in the far corner and a lone, white bed along the furthest wall.

He eyed the room skeptically and then turned to the female. Jude was in the process of punching in a code to the security system, the moment she was done she spun around and was startled by the glares that were directed at her.

"What the hell Jude?" Jack demanded scantily dressed in boxers and a black vest.

"Start from the beginning, what happened." Joanna insisted, taking control of the situation. Bucky stood behind the female with his arms crossed in front of his broad chest and his cool gaze focused on the woman in question.

"I was out getting the groceries as usual when this freak cornered me in the alley and started asking me all these questions." Jude stammered out rapidly in a pace that was almost incoherent, but Joanna had quickly caught up with her speech.

The woman's eyes widened in shock, she reached out and gently gripped the frightened woman by the shoulders. Jude's startled gaze rose to Joanna and she was entranced by the concern in her dark eyes.

"Who? Did you see their face?" Jo asked softly.

"The asshole stuck to the shadows but I felt the gun in my side that's for sure and I am pretty sure I made out a pair of swords on his back." Jude bit her lip apprehensively.

"He was looking for you." She added.

Jo tensed and her eyes lowered, her pupils were shivering in thought.

"Then what happened?" Jack questioned.

"What do you think happened?" Jude grumbled snidely.

"I pepper sprayed his ass and high tailed here, but obviously I wasn't fast enough."

"He obviously planned on Jude leading him right to us." Bucky noted frankly. The mechanic deadpanned and shot the man a irate stare.

"Thanks." She muttered sarcastically and wormed her way out of the wall and further into the room.

"He was just searching for me right?" Joanna suddenly asked grabbing Jude's attention.

"No mention of him?" She asked gesturing to Bucky with the tip of her right thumb.

"Well one of your aliases was what he screamed at me, unless there is another Jane Fitzgerald." Jude responded.

 _Jane Fitzgerald_. The name rang no bell or surfaced any memories. Bucky looked to former agent who was deep in thought, her dark brows were furrowed in severe concentration.

All he could think was that the name Jane didn't suit her in the slightest. He turned his attention to the video output screen on the top right hand corner of the wall, it was displaying the outside activities to them. Bucky hadn't taken Jude's warning seriously until he spotted the entire household be swallowed in shadows. His steel blue eyes narrowed and he swore he saw a silhouette race past the camera.

Bucky was alarmed out of his thoughts when she twisted to the door and rapidly began punching the code to the lock.

"What are you doing?" Bucky exclaimed immediately grasping her by the wrist. They locked gazes and he was spellbound by the determination in her eyes.

"You guys are safe, just stay in here and let me handle this." She insisted trying to free herself of his grip, but his hold tightened.

"I am not letting you go out there alone." He persisted grimly. "The guy hacked in and put the whole place in shadows, clearly he knows what he is doing."

"You don't think I do?" Joanna smirked forcing the tenseness in his face to ease a little.

"Relax hun, I've been in worse situations." She winked, his frowned deepened once more.

"Listen to him Jo, it's not safe out there." Jack added nervously from his seat.

"Yeah, did you not hear me say guns and swords? This is some Merc you don't want to mess with." Jude reminded rather rudely. Jack nodded along in agreement and Bucky stared awaiting Joanna.

The woman still carried an air of carefree ease. She was smiling rather amused by the entire ordeal and had rolled her eyes at Jude's passionate warning.

"You pepper sprayed the moron, clearly he is not all that." She pointed out factually. Bucky glowered, the shadows of the dimly lit white room made his face seem mournful.

"Jo—"

"I am done debating this." She insisted cutting into his sentence, he immediately fell quiet under the shining bravery in the woman's obsidian eyes.

"The guy could be Hydra and I am not letting them take you again."

Despite feeling a wave of warmth hit his heart from her sweet declaration, he couldn't help but find her words rather ignorant.

"If you think Hydra is sending one man, you are crazy." He acknowledged sternly stepping closer to her. His voice was a lot softer and almost loving, the shift in tone wasn't intentional but automatic from the impact of her words and gazing down at her pretty face.

"They've sent you alone plenty of times." She bit back her chin rising haughtily.

"All the more incentive for me to tag along then." He replied.

"Can you guys stop with the flirting and just get to it already?" Jude groaned exasperatedly. "I don't want to die in here."

Jack shot her a look that seemed to question her morality. Bucky lowered his head suddenly embarrassed of the woman's observation and Joanna rolled her eyes at the mechanic's dramatics.

"Hey no one is going to die!" She stated firmly. She angrily punched in the last button and the heavy door gave in with a low sigh. She steadied one hand on the edge of the surface and then craned her neck around to Jack and Jude.

"Lock up and stay quiet, we will be back before you can say Grandma beat box's" She ordered. Bucky took that as cue to follow her, not that he needed her permission anyway. They crept out into the hallway with weapons at the ready.

* * *

Joanna was leading the way with her back pressed tightly to the wall. Bucky was covering her with the gun as she slid along the cool cement. Joanna hadn't bothered checking the rooms they passed as if she knew the exact location of the intruder.

"What's his twenty?" He asked her, his voice barely above a whisper. She stilled in her pursuit and turned to him.

"Living room." She murmured. " I think he is going through Jack's DVD collection."

Bucky nodded accepting her words. She could sense him, the man possessed some sort of electronic device. He was grateful for the upper hand because from the lack of sounds Bucky predicted the man was very light on his feet.

They reached the living room and just before Joanna could enter the space covertly, Bucky stilled her movements by tapping her on the shoulder.

"I'll keep him busy, you get to the weapons room and pick up whatever you can and hurry back." He insisted.

"I would argue but it's one guy and you are upping me on the weapon factor. They could disarm the gun but they can't disarm this arm." She poked him swiftly in his metal appendage and beamed up at him like an idiot. Bucky had to bit furiously at his lower lip to suppress his own need to express amusement.

"Funny." He grumbled even though his voice did crack a little. Jo noticed but uttered no teasing remark.

"See you in five, hot stuff." She winked and hurried past him to the arsenal. He stared at her and had to remind himself to solidify his thoughts on the nearing battle and not how great she smelt.

He focused his piercing eyes into the shadows within the room and stealthily slipped in. He was cautious enough to keep his back pressed to the walls while furtively avoiding the furniture. Bucky thought he spotted the man by the large shelf on the opposite side of the room and his intention was to pounce on the man. But then there was a sudden flash of movement from his left followed by an object that made a full on collision with him arm.

A sharp piercing nose followed by sparks pierced the darkness when metal clashed with metal. Instincts kicked in and Bucky attempted to shoot but his weapon abruptly knocked out of his hand. The bullet didn't even have a chance to escape its barrel. Bucky acted fast and shoved away the attacker with a kick to the side, immediately placing distance between them.

The Winter soldier narrowed his stare, focusing through the shadows, his heart was thundering from the sneak attack. The assailant had a large silhouette, broad shoulders, muscular arms and long legs. There were no visible signs of hair on his head, it was as if he was wearing a mask that left his skull a smooth round shape. Either that or he was bald.

Bucky wished he had grabbed his night vision goggles, but the dim blue light from some electronic device of Jack's did provide a little insight. The man had a long, rectangular shaped apparatus strapped to his back that was at a slight slant that traveled down and peaked just past the juncture of his square hips.

Bucky immediately deduced it to be a sword and there were two, the man was already gripping one that glinted in the night.

Bucky was confused to why the man hadn't initiated another attack but he was staring back ominously.

 _Who is the man?_ Questions exploded in the Winter Solider's mind. _A ninja? The Yakuza? The Hand? What kinda enemies did Jo have?_

"Huh, arms that I hit usually don't do that." The man spoke in a surprisingly average, American accent. He had a slightly snarky, witty rhythm to his words, something Bucky never expected in people that tried to kill him. Then again, he wasn't really expecting conversation.

"You on some kinda steroids there, bud? You know those things really mess up your downstairs area."

Bucky pulled out his dagger and gripped it in front of him, ready to fight. He tensed and then confused the Winter Soldier again by holstering his sword. He shifted and Bucky was ready to battle only to freeze when the man clicked on the neighboring light on the lamp beside the sofa. The warm orange glow wasn't harsh on Bucky's eyes.

"Look I don't want any trouble." The stranger said with his gloved hands out in caution. Bucky instantly noticed the blood red, and black colour of the man's costume and the white area for eyes, that stood out on his mask.

Costumed criminals, something Bucky knew he would never get used to.

"Says the guy who broke into a secure facility," Bucky stated factually, his voice low and untrusting.

"Okay, I was expecting a little less trouble." The man said with an innocent shrug of his shoulders. "I am looking for a Miss Fitzgerald but from your obvious masculine and extremely appealing build, I am guessing you are not her."

Bucky was stunned by the man's flirtatious words but it was spoken so rapidly it was hard to tell if he actually meant such intention.

"But you might have some useful information right?"

"There is no Fitzgerald here." Bucky countered which technically wasn't a lie.

"Damn Google maps steered me wrong again." The stranger exclaimed while simultaneously pulling out his sword once more. "But you look like the company a shady burglar would keep, so I am going to need more info."

He leaped forward and Bucky was ready.

They collided in a fast, lethal combat. Bucky was mainly avoiding the sharp edge of the man's blade by either blocking with his metal arm and jumping out of the way. The stranger was dangerously unpredictable in his attacks which made the fight challenging for the highly trained agent.

Plus the hounding questions the man uttered was most distracting.

"Is she like your girlfriend?" The man demanded when Bucky had managed to get him into a headlock. " Are you guys in love?"

Bucky received a sharp elbow to the side that lessened his grip the man took the chance to stab his sword straight through Bucky's foot. The Winter Soldier yelled out pushed him away roughly. The man was impacted from the shove of Bucky's metal arm and went flying and crashed into the couch. He had toppled over the back of the settee and rolled right onto the floor.

Bucky heard an array of crashing noises as he attempted to dislodge the sword from his foot. The Winter Soldier was livid at this point. His bleeding foot was throbbing and he was worked up into a heavy sweat and the man shot up into the air as right as rain.

"Aw if you are in love then I promise I won't kill her." The stranger said unsheathing his second sword and swishing it in the air as if testing the blade. "I could knock her unconscious, pour a bottle of ketchup on her and make it seem gruesome, real Black Dahlia style and take some pics and WhatsApp that shit."

The man wouldn't shut the hell up, but Bucky refused to be aggravated by it. He knew full well the consequences of allowing once emotions to cloud the mind in the heat of battle. He needed to keep his thoughts clear.

"Honestly man I just need the money so if you could tone it down a little and actually give me a chance at winning, that would be great." The man continued to yell out, aggravating the former Soviet spy even more. The stranger's moves were unpredictable. Compared to how precise and lethal Bucky's were, the accomplice fought like a drunken man who had a lot of luck on his side. The blows and attacks were mercurial and damaging. The winter soldier had to push away the man several times while ducking in order to still be alive.

During their intense battle, the living room lamp took a major hit. The light fixture hit the floor in a crash and the glass shattered across the carpet. The darkness temporary distracted Bucky. He felt sudden quick pressure against his calves. He lost his footing and went plummeting down to the ground. His back made a hard, painful smash to the wooden boards. He had knocked his head and was momentarily disorientated.

"I see an opening!"

The man yelled out gleefully and Bucky felt the swooshing air of the attack, but he never felt the impact.

Bucky heard a struggle from the floor to his left. It was difficult to see what was happening but he could make out two figures rolling on the floor in a fight for dominance. He heard Jo's voice gasp out from injury.

The Winter Solider was attempting to bring his legs under him again but then there was another bright flickering of yellow light. The power had returned and illuminated the room completely.

Joanna had her knife to the assailants gut but her back was forced to the floor. She felt the weight of the man's knee on her chest and it was crushing her air supply. Her eyes watered from the sudden light but then when her pupils began to focus, she was startled by the face that stared down at her.

"Wade?" She uttered in disbelief. Her grip on her knife lessening from the shock of it all.

"Jo?" The man marveled, the whiteness in the eye areas of his mask expanded. He had the tip of his sword to the woman's neck and had drawn a little blood, but neither of them paid attention to that particular fact, too absorbed by each other's presence.

He stood up and retreated his blade back and holstered it over his shoulder.

"Well this is awkward." He announced, clasping his hands firmly on his hips. "Then again, not the first time you were under my blade eh?"

Bucky's face scrunched up, disgruntled by the man's joking tone. However to his surprise, Jo had laughed from her place on the floor.

"Let me help you up there sweetheart." The red and black ninja insisted. He chivalrously stretched down an open palm which Jo happily accepted. He pulled her up and she beamed up at him.

"So how are you? Life treating you good?" He asked retracting his hand back to his side.

"Can't fucking believe it, you are the shit bag they sent to kill me?" Jo exclaimed in an almost exasperated enthusiasm. She abruptly punched him amiably on the chest. He swayed from the impact and the surface of his mask creased down, around the mouth, as if he was frowning.

"Ey that's rude, I just asked you how you were doing and you gotta insult me first thing?" He demanded in feigned hurt.

"Babe you know I meant it lovingly." Joanna cooed in a loving tone that Bucky found himself bristling over.

"Wait a minute, are you…" The man in tights suddenly pulled off the glove of his left hand, revealing a very scarred skin. Bucky eyed the leathery, light pink, flesh in revulsion. The man was reading from the palm of his hand, he had very messily scribbled down a barely distinguishable word.

"Jah-Ju-Jesus-"

"Jane." Jo cut in bluntly.

"Jane Fitzgerald?" He reworded looking to him with the white slits of his eye areas narrowing on her.

"This does not surprise me." He mumbled under his breath and then abruptly lifted and stretched his arms out, eager for an embrace.

"Hug for reunion?" He added rather suggestively. Jo laughed once more and happily stepped into his awaiting arms.

Bucky watched the two embrace tightly and the stranger even began to rock from side to side, eliciting more giggles from the female.

"What the hell is going on?" The Winter Soldier decided to intervene. He stomped up to stand beside them. Jo managed to release herself from the hug and turned her gaze to the irate male.

Bucky pinned her down with a look of stern inquiry.

"You know this clown?" He asked gesturing towards the stranger.

"Hi there." The man in spandex stepped in with a wave of his hand, grabbing Bucky's attention.

"Pool, Dead." He introduced, forcefully grasping Bucky's metal hand and giving it one firm shake.

"Sorry about the whole punches, kicks and mean things I said about your mama." Deadpool rambled as he released Bucky from his hold.

"Or was that all in my head? I can't really tell anymore." He mused thoughtfully and then shrugged to himself before looking to Jo.

"You got any ice cold aqua? This chick sprayed pepper spray on to my face and I always like the way ice tastes with mint."

* * *

Bucky was slumped and frankly a little threatened by the sudden turn of the situation. This Deadpool had made himself at home rather quickly. They occupied the kitchen space Bucky and Jo had their intimate talk moments ago. Deadpool was straddling the bench. He had the bottom of his mask rolled up to the edge of his nose, just enough room for him to chug down a tall glass of cold water.

Jo sat beside him and Bucky was on the opposite end, keeping a watchful eye over the assassin.

Bucky did not easily forget that the man almost tired to kill him. Just because Jo was at complete ease didn't mean he had to be.

Jack and Jude eventually came out of hiding and joined them in the kitchen. Jude shared Bucky's mistrust and rebelliously didn't take a seat at the table. Jack, on the other hand was fascinated by their new, masked friend and wheeled his chair to sit in between Jo and Deadpool.

"So you two know each other?" Jude questioned eyeing the man's obvious scarred face. It made Bucky wonder what the rest of him looked like.

"We go way back." He said while self-consciously rolling down his mask and covering his face once more.

"I'm talking dry humping at prom behind the punch table."

Jo rolled her eyes. "Wade-"

"DEADPOOL." He corrected rather obnoxiously. Joanna was unfazed by the man's outburst.

"Wade here was sent to hurt me a while back when I was working at Chuck's school. But then we became buddies because we helped each other out." She said with a fond smile directed at the masked assassin.

"How?" Bucky inquired, his steel blue eyes narrowing.

"Well the dude wanted me alive and back at his place for interrogation purposes. So we planned a sneak attack. Wade was supposed to walk away with the money but I guess he couldn't help but stick around." She explained in a lackadaisical manner and lazy flick of her wrists. Bucky was content with the story until she braced her elbow on the stranger's shoulders. It was a friendly comfortable notion, one he found pressing.

"It would have been a shame to leave an ass like that to die." Deadpool stated factually.

"Should not have stuck around, nearly burned my fucking face off because this manic blew the place up, and laughed."

"Would have been an improvement." Joanna teased earning a mock gasp from him.

"Ow." He murmured sounding genuinely hurt, but then he shook his head and grew nervous as if suddenly aware of having given away his emotions.

"I mean. HAHA." He barked out haughtily.

"Well jokes on you cause your face-" He stilled and took in the sight of Joanna's cut lip and the purplish discoloring around the socket of her left eye.

Bucky's gaze immediately darted to the woman. Joanna lowered her dark eyes, in an embarrassed self-awareness. He steeled himself, fully ready to intervene and claim the blame.

"Fuck, you make a black eye look attractive." Deadpool exclaimed admiring her face.

"How did you get that by the way?"

Bucky parted his lips to answer.

"So what's the bounty on me this time?" Joanna cut in.

He fell silent but he was secretly grateful for the change in topic.

"Seventy grand." The man in question stated casually.

"Damn son." Joanna whistled in amazement as Jack and Jude exchanged looks of bewilderment.

"Can I just turn myself in?" She joked earning a bout of laughter from Jack.

"Quite the ego boost, didn't know I valued so much." She mused rubbing her chin in thought.

"To whom exactly?"

"That fat guy with the leopard skin suits and smells of gross-as-fuck cigars." Wade responded jadedly. His attention was diverted on the ceramic container of cookies. He pulled the inanimate panda close with both hands and lifted the lid before peering inside.

"August?" Joanna questioned astounded by the revelation. Bucky was brooding and listening intently, wishing he knew more about her background.

"Guess the guy is still holding a grudge." She mumbled to herself.

"Yeah, apparently you stole all his money and he wants it back." Deadpool pointed out while munching on an Oreo with the mask rolled up to the bridge of his nose.

"Here is a brain teaser for you, genius." Jo began to say, aiming a condescendingly charming smile at the masked man.

"How the fuck is he going to pay you seventy grand when I had stolen all of his money?"She demanded with a haughty tilt of her head.

Bucky shifted uncomfortably in his seat and lowered his stare to the edge of the table. _Why was she so attractive in everything she did?_ His heart was pounding hastily within his ribcage.

"Um…international assets?"Wade uttered lamely earning an exaggerated eye roll from Joanna.

"I ratted his misogynistic ass to the feds. He probably has enough cash for those triple ply toilet papers." She explained to the rest of her friends within the room, her gaze lingered on the silent Winter Soldier the longest.

"Alright, maybe this was a shady deal." Deadpool admitted after a moment, not at all disappointed by the outcome and quite content with the cookies he was stuffing into his mouth.

"He is planning on double crossing you." Jack added confidently, Joanna nodded in agreement.

"Honestly, you can't trust crime lords these days." The mask man sighed out despondently. Bucky raised a brow in question wondering if the man was feigning his hurt or genuinely ditzy.

"I am sad we lost touch Jo, you always see attacks coming from a mile away." He added turning his pouting lips to face her.

"Especially when its staring you right in the face." She mused teasingly earning another woeful sigh from him.

"So what now? You taking Jo?" Bucky cut in aiming his clear cut gaze onto the man.

"Why would I do that? We are buddies." Deadpool exclaimed throwing his arm over her shoulder and hugging her to his side.

"But I guess it's another week of starvation for the wife and kids." He said and then abruptly stood up and clasped his hands on his strong hips.

"You got any leftover take out or something? I am starving."He made known while surveying the kitchen. He pranced off towards the fridge and yanked open the door before burying his upper body into the cold container.

Bucky eyed the man speculatively, he was a peculiarly fellow. Jumpy, easily excitable and chattier than most foes. Plus the man had an air of a simpleton while wiggling his red, spandex covered bottom as he raided their food supply.

"Jo, you mind giving us a warning next time one of your friends stop by or threatens to kill us." Jude lectured. Bucky had to agree with the woman, but Joanna shrugged casually

"Cesspool is harmless, to us anyway. The dude is just trying to make a living." She notified in that same easy tone of voice.

"Actually it's to fund my revenge back-story, guns, ammunition, costume, etc." Deadpool announced from behind Bucky, startling the man. Winter's aimed a glare over his shoulder at the masked man who was stuffing his face with some deli. It was hard to sneak up on the former assassin, the fact that stranger could made him all the more dangerous. But for some reason, he trusted Joanna.

"You okay?"

It took a moment for him to realize that the question was directed at him. He looked up to meet Joanna's endlessly dark eyes. She was staring at him from across the table with a look of mild concern.

"Yeah." He managed an awkward smile.

"You have weird friends."

"Heh yeah." She snorted a little abashed by the observation. Deadpool spurred to the woman's side and immediately took the free seat to her left, hasty to join the conversation.

"So is this your super hot, totally cute, boyfriend?" The man asked excitedly with his attention focused on the Winter Soldier. Bucky was both alarmed and embarrassed by the repertoire of flattering words the man had used to describe his relation to Joanna.

However, he wasn't alone in the feelings of discomfiture. Joanna was practically mortified and tried very hard to hide it.

"This is Barnes." She introduced through gritted teeth, resisting the urge to pummel Deadpool.

"Barney?" Wade echoed tauntingly, flashing a arrogant grin at the former assassin.

"Barnes." Bucky corrected heatedly.

"What kinda name is Deadpoo anyway?" He bit back.

The merc's smile immediately dropped.

"Deadpool man, I enunciated it earlier too." He pouted and then looked to Joanna.

"I thought you were pining for some guy stuck in a freezer."

"I wasn't pinning." Joanna insisted. Jack was trying his best to suppress his taunting laughter at her flustered state.

"This is the guy." She grumbled nudging her head in Bucky's direction.

"Oooo—Gack!" Deadpool winced when Joanna forcefully gripped at the base of his jaw and squished is cheeks with the tips of her fingers.

"Be cool fool." She hissed.

Bucky blinked in astonishment, but the surprise was momentary when the corners of his lips curled up in secretly, delight smile. Joanna was muttering irately incoherent words under her breath while avoiding looking in his general direction. The apples of her cheeks had taken on an alarming shade of pink.

Bucky bit his lip and chose not to comment, even though, despite himself, he ached to tease her.

By a twist of chance, he was given the perfect opportunity when Jack and Deadpool became fast friends. The two headed to the TV room, Jude bustled about the kitchen to make herself breakfast. Joanna yawned and announced she was tired and headed out into the corridor, towards the rooms.

Bucky hesitated. He wanted to pursue her and give into the tension with him. The witty energy that the situation had been aroused by her.

He gave one cautious glance in Jude's direction. She was unaware of Bucky's presence. Planting his hands on the surface of the cold marble table, he pushed up on to his feet and stepped out of the kitchen.

He made his way down the lonely corridor and found Joanna surprisingly, not in her room. She was standing at the entrance to the TV room, leaning against the frame of the door and gazing into the space. She was smiling, obviously amused by the noise he heard from the room. He approached her and looked over her shoulder.

Deadpool and Jack were in a deep conversation about Sigourney Weaver. Bucky did not know who this woman was, but the movie they were staring at on the TV screen while sitting on the couch, had a lot of aliens on it.

Bucky averted his attention from the flashing screen and looked to Joanna. She was yet to acknowledge his presence but he knew she was aware of him. She was just hoping he would not ask the dreaded questions.

 _Fat chance._ He mused to himself while smiling wickedly.

"How many people have you yapped to about me?" He inquired.

A irate sigh escaped her lips and then she spun around to face him. Bucky's dark winged brows rose in surprise by the indignation in her cutting stare. But what was most amusing was the heavy blush that coloured her cheeks.

"Okay calm down alright, I am not like obsessed with you or anything it's not that kinda situation." She had insisted proudly. Despite her supercilious tone, he saw that she was truly trying to mask how vulnerable and embarrassed she was by Wade's revelation. Bucky somehow knew that teasing her wouldn't help the situation and frankly he didn't want to, the warmth of the affection he felt kept him merry.

"It's… nice." He admitted almost bashfully. "Someone caring this much even when I thought I had no one."

Joanna's scowling seized. Her expression softened dramatically to one of stunned interest. Bucky found himself smiling timidly and she returned it just as chagrined.

"I should have done something sooner." She confessed, a dark undertone taking over her glimmering eyes. She had lowered her focus to the floor and Bucky instantly missed the sight of her pretty but bruised face.

"I met Deadpool when I was working for the professor at the school for the gifted." She said turning her attention to the back of Wade's head.

"Gifted as in like you?" He asked.

"Yeah." She acknowledged sending him a brave little smile that seemed to carry the weight of the world.

Bucky watched her movements as she folded her arms over her chest, an unconscious act to ward off sympathy.

"Hydra sent me in to infiltrate their location. My Jedi mind tricks cloaked me from Chuck's readings so it made me the perfect weapon against one of the most powerful mutants in our time."

"But he knew." Bucky predicted from the smirk upon her lips.

"Chuck was the Yoda to my Skywalker." She chuckled. "Before they even caught on to my true reasons, I fell in love with that school. The kids there, the people, they didn't deserve what Hydra had in mind."

He didn't doubt it, the affection and warmth displayed upon her pretty features was evidentiary. She bared a special love for that school. Bucky was eager to meet these so-called gifted children and the professor himself.

"How long were you with them?" He asked fascinated by the revelations. He made himself comfortable by leaning on the wall beside her, she turned to him, engaged in the conversation.

"A year. It was a nice change of pace after…" She hesitated and cast him a wary glance.

"Well I got the mission right after ours ended."

"Ours?" He echoed in bewilderment.

"Remember that memory you had of us in the hotel room with that weird tree thing?" She asked her voice unusually suggestive. But he tried not to be deterred or reveal his arousal over the memories of their intimate moments that flashed in his mind.

"Yeah?" He responded moving closer.

"Well in a twist of fate I got to be your handler for a series of missions that went on for three months, give or take." She explained.

"Ended up handling more than just the usual spy business if you know what I mean." She winked with a perverse grin and Bucky rolled his eyes not at all surprised by her oh so subtle ways.

"Smooth." He commented earning a cheeky smile from her that sped up his heart.

"What do you mean a nice change of pace?" He questioned with furrowed brows. Did she not enjoy their time together? Sure he didn't recall all of it, but he amused they had. Maybe their connection hadn't started there, maybe he had forgotten a lot more than he had thought.

"Well, you left an impact on me, one that was particularly hard to get over especially when you went under." She answered amazingly casual in her words despite the weight of emotion that had hit him.

"Anyway the school felt like a second home." She added briskly.

"You consider Hydra to be your first home?" He asked warily.

"Fuck no." She snorted.

"Anywhere with you really."

Bucky stilled when the brusque honesty in her words struck him right in the heart. He felt a warmth spread through his chest. He stared at her in awe.

She was paling in disbelief.

She slowly turned to him with the most wavering, awkwardly beaming smile he had ever seen. Her dark eyes were shivering nervously as she palmed the back of her neck.

Bucky stared, speechless by her sincere confession.

"Ha-ha wasn't that just the corniest shit ever ha…Jo out." She gasped out and abruptly took off down the corridor.

"Wait Jo-" He had reached out to stop her only to grip at the air just behind her elbow.

"NOPE." She yelled out and power walked straight to her bedroom before forcing the door shut behind her.

Bucky gazed in wonder but the shock soon faded and he was left feeling blissful and highly entertained.

Strange. He never pictured Joanna to be the type to be embarrassed so quickly. It was…cute?

"Give her a break man, she isn't as good at dealing with feelings as she might think."

Bucky was startled at the sound of Jack's voice. He looked to find the technician had wheeled over to the door and sat beside him.

"Doesn't she have that whole compartmentalize thing going on." Bucky asked as he stepped aside to allow Jack room to roll into the hallway.

"There is a difference between compartmentalizing and suppressing the hell out of issues." The man expressed.

Supressing. Bucky's eyebrows furrowed once more in deep thought. He began to wonder if maybe his memories had nothing to do with Hydra at all. Maybe…maybe he just didn't want to remember.

"Do you…" He hesitated when he saw that Jack was in the middle of wheeling away.

"Never mind." He murmured mainly to himself, but the man had heard.

"What?" Jack questioned spinning around to face the former assassin.

Bucky scratched at the stubble that littered his face, cautious about revealing his thoughts. But Jack had a very pleasant face and a caring air about him.

"I'm just wondering if that's what's going on with me." Bucky mused out trying to seem nonchalant about his musings.

"It could be, from what I know about memory loss is that you need something to spark them back. Maybe that's what's missing." Jack responded rather agreeably. Bucky didn't know if he should be concerned or enlightened. He chose the latter stepped closer to male, his entire focus on him.

"How do I do that?" He asked helplessly.

"I don't know, get creative with it." Jack grinned. "but I probably shouldn't be advising this. Jo mentioned you need to be handled by the professor, he knows what he is doing, I am no psychiatrist."

He had a point. Bucky didn't want to worsen his condition by forcing himself to remember.

However…

He gazed longingly at the door he knew Jo was behind. Being around her, hearing her accidental confessions that were unbelievably sweet. Made him want to remember, like he owed it to her, to them, to recall something he had lost which he had truly cherished.


	12. Peachy

**So this one ends in a cliffy :D (dont hurt me). Reviews= early update? :D**

 **xx**

 **SSC**

 **Guest: Yes there are several OC's in this story, sorry that the chapter's are so spread out that its hard to follow at times, but I can only update when I get some free time. I'll add more line breakers :).**

 **Jo: YAY Congrats, although that is long overdue xD. Hope you are enjoying your job so far ;).**

 **Oddball: you observing little thing, glad you noticed, if not that then his blabber would have been a sure sign xD. Dont worry, Bucky will get plenty of attention from her in this chapter ;).**

* * *

"Cap!" Kevin exclaimed rushing into the apartment with his gun at the ready. He ran into the kitchen and spotted the couple within the kitchen. Olivia stood at the far corner of the kitchen where the two counters met. Steve was standing protectively in front of her, shielding her body with his arms stretched to a side and his back to her, but his expression seemed to reveal his internal confusion.

Olivia seemed quite livid and was clinging onto her boyfriend's shoulders as if she was in the middle of climbing over him to abuse the person they stared at.

"We got here as fast as we could where is she—" Kevin's exclaimed fell dead at the sight of a five year old red-head that sat at the dining table, seemingly innocent in her tiny t-shirt.

Kevin's weapon lowered on instinct when the small child glanced his way with her emerald eyes. They widened a little, surprised by his arrival but then dimmed down to a default, jaded look.

"You know that's a five year old right?" He questioned amused as he averted his attention back to the cringing couple. His light tone did not ease the worry on the Captain's face or the annoyance off Olivia's.

"That's her." She growled in the direction of the child.

"I know it is, don't play coy you—you—brat!" She exclaimed pointing an accusing finger at the adolescent. Steve have to practically restrain Olivia from making any advances.

Valerie was just as bewildered as Kevin and they both looked to the child for a reaction. The pretty girl smiled almost smugly and began to pick at her short nails.

"Wow, do you smooch your mother with that mouth?" She uttered in the most condescendingly smooth voice Kevin had ever heard.

"Is that the only thing you can think of to call me?" She added in order to bait the irate web designer. Her attempt had been successful and Olivia was seething. She ducked down from under her boyfriends arm and took a step in the child's direction.

"Oh I have plenty of names for you, one in particular—"

"Olli stay calm." Steve cautioned, his voice stern but gentle as he pulled his girlfriend back, to his body.

"Oh no please Captain, I am interested to know." Bianca insisted sweetly. Olivia's eyes narrowed further and Steve's jaw muscles twitched in aggravation.

"It's a good one." Olivia sneered. Bianca grinned, crossed her legs in a meditative position over the seat and leaned into her thighs.

"Do tell." She purred gazing at Olivia with a sultry look that made the Captain very uncomfortable.

"HO." Olivia exclaimed.

"Ho?" Bianca echoed one brow raised sardonically.

"As in Human Octopus which I hilariously discovered could be abbreviated to HO." Olivia explained. "HO."

"It's a little too early in the year to be saying that don't you think? Though it isn't wrong." Bianca taunted causing the web design to bristle.

Bianca flashed on last toothy grin at Olivia, but then movement from her right had distracted her. She was observing Valerie. The short auburn haired woman felt a chill run down her spine at the odd, eerie way the child stared at her.

"Who is the cute red head over there?" Bianca had inquired smoothly, catalyzing Kevin to shift in to a protective mode. He side stepped till Valerie's form was blocked by his impressive build. He pinned the child under a stern, dark stare.

"None of your business." He had insisted. Valerie was surprised by the tenor of possessiveness she had heard in his deep voice. She was a immediately flustered by the shiver of delight that shook her body, from his actions.

"Quite the protective one you are, eh Kevin?" Adolescent Bianca teased while sitting confidently on her chair.

"How do you know him?" Steve was quick to demand. The small child looked jadedly to the Captain and then averted her attention back to picking at her nails.

"It's not a question of who I know but what you don't know." She sighed, bored before making her point. Olivia was antagonized by her carefree manner and wondering, bristling if her boyfriend shared the same feelings. She glanced at the captain to find him more concerned and stern than annoyed.

"Besides, no one forgets the person who shot them." Bianca raised her gaze and Olivia was startled by the animosity she directed at Kevin.

The man's features immediately softened and he seemed a little ashamed.

"You were close I'll admit, luckily she had stepped in." Bianca grumbled.

"You will tell us everything you know Jessica." Kevin insisted firmly.

"Or what?" She bit back haughtily. "Despite my current form I do warn you I am still very lethal and my name isn't Jessica, its Bianca."

The authority and conceit in the child's voice threatened to push Olivia over the edge, but she couldn't just jump right over. All of her flaws were embodied in a chid's, a seemingly innocent five year old and Olivia didn't know how to digest it. She didn't think there could ever be such strange things in the world.

"Do you guys have any cereal? I am positively famished."

Then she went ahead and spouted entitled, bratty demands, pushing Olivia completely.

"Why are you here?" The web designer hissed.

"I came to visit, can't old friends visit?" Bianca teased. "I do recall you telling me to drop by whenever I wish."

"That was to sweet Jessica, the alias that didn't try to murder me." Olivia sneered.

Bianca's playful smile faltered and Steve was quick to notice. She had tried to hide it but there was a glint of guilt in her green eyes.

"That was a poor decision on my part I'll admit, I wasn't thinking straight." She admitted surprising the web designer with her genuine apology. The captain had his hand on steadied on his girlfriend's shoulder, he felt the tenseness lessen a little at the young girls admission.

"Then again I never think straight." She added flashing a reckless grin that cried for a reaction. Valerie gaped in disbelief at her jest, the rest did not look amused.

"Tough crowd." Bianca pouted.

"It's very weird that these words are coming out of a five year old." Valerie mumbled while palming the back of her neck unsurely while eyeing Bianca. The child winked in the woman's direction and she grimaced.

Valerie was snapped out of her thoughts when she felt an abrupt grip on her wrist. It was Kevin and he was already pulling her with him towards the kitchen, making sure to keep her close and guarded.

"So what's the plan, Cap?" Kevin demanded oblivious to the feelings he had stirred from Valerie with his touch, and the fact that he was yet to release her.

Steve was in deep thought, even though his stare was fixated on the child he had a spacey look in his eye. Olivia on the other hand watched the girl like a hawk, but she was far less predatory than before.

"We let the team know." The captain responded after a moment. "Child or not, she is dangerous and without knowing what happened or how she got here. I don't want to put anyone at risk."

Kevin knew he meant mainly Olivia. The woman didn't carry the wounds from her assault from Bianca months ago, but Steve didn't easily forget, neither did Kevin.

"Right." Odell nodded confidently.

A heavy weary sigh escaped the captain's lips when he realized he had to break his internal vow not to speak to a certain Industrialist for a great length of time.

"I'll call Tony." He announced and pulled out his cell phone.

* * *

Bucky limped into the kitchen the next morning, sluggish from his short sleep, to find Jo and Wade seated at the island counter.

Joanna was seated at the head of the long, marble surface, looking much like a jungle queen. She had one on the edge of the wooden stool and her leg posed in a parted, crooked angle. Her other leg was dangling off the seat and she was eating a bowl of cereal. When Bucky looked to Deadpool, the man was in the process of pulling the mask over his face before the solider could have a chance to see what's beneath.

Bucky knew from the man's marred hands that whatever he hid wasn't pretty. He wasn't planning on questioning it, Bucky knew he was lucky that all he considered ugly about himself was deep beneath the surface. He still carried animosity for the man since his foot was causing him ache.

"So what are you going to do now? Go back to August empty handed?" Joanna inquired from Wade with a mouth full of Cocopops. Bucky made his way to the fridge beside the stove, trying to be invisible to their conversation.

"Nah I was thinking we stage it like last time and con him into giving more money." Deadpool had suggested.

"As fun as that sounds. Barnes and I have different plans that head towards another direction." She said alerting him. He looked back from the open fridge with a loaf of bread at hand.

"The backdoor?" Wade teased resting his chin on his forehands and looking to Joanna like a smitten teenager.

"I didn't know you were into that stuff Jo."

"We don't have that many common interests, babe." She shot back with a smug smile.

"We are going to **the school**."

"Who, that bald, gay, looking fucker?" Wade demanded.

"Oi, shit for brains, do not disrespect the professor." She scolded threateningly pointing her spoon at him.

"All I stated was fact." He countered with his gloved palms held up defensively.

"A-" Her prepared argument fell dead and her mouth twisted pensively.

"Yah you have a point, he has got that whole questionable back-story with that metal bender whatever."

"Right?" Deadpool excalimed.

Bucky approached and laid out the loaf of bread, butter knife, a few condiments and some slices of cold meat on a plate, upon the table. Wade was quick to notice how easily Joanna was distracted by the man. She was watching him make a sandwich, more specifically, the way his hands worked with utensils.

"So what's the deal with you guys?" Deadpool couldn't help but voice his thoughts, grabbing their attention simultaneously.

"He can't remember who you are and you are so devoted to him that you want to help him remember his thoughts with the hopes of him remembering you so you two can eventually bone like you had, before the shit hit the fan?" He pondered loudly.

"Sounds like some bad fanfiction written by some horny, single, twenty three year old."

"You wanna talk criticism big guy, what about your outfit?" Joanna hissed.

"What about it?" He asked innocently.

"You look like a giant used tampon." She stated flatly.

Bucky had his head lowered and focused on making his ham-sandwich, pretending like he hadn't heard, but the smirk that curved at his lips was evident.

"Yah ,deadly used tampon." Wade huffed and then consciously palmed is chest.

"So when are you guys heading out?" He demanded, eager to change the subject.

"Tonight." Bucky answered sternly, but then his stone expression immediately softened when he looked to Joanna as if searching for approval.

"Unless you have more things to sort out?" He voiced out. Joanna couldn't help but smile adoringly at his consideration, her pulse had elevated the slightest.

"Nah I am all good, big guy." She insisted gratefully. "Unless you have anything to resolve here?"

"No." He shook his head.

"What about your memories coming back?" Wade chimed in grabbing Joanna's interest.

"What?" She sat upright. Bucky's eyes narrowed as he fixed a scrutinizing look on the man in spandex.

"Yeah you were telling Jacko that you were thinking that your memories aren't actually lost but more suppressed and that you want to come up with a creative way to bring them back with Jo." Wade babbled on as Bucky began to pale nervously. He immediately looked to asses Joanna's reaction to find her gaping openly.

"When someone says creative I can only think of one thing." Deadpool shocked Bucky into further embarrassment by abruptly powering his hipflexors while making a crude gestures with his hands to his manhood.

"Bah-Bah-Bah-Boning!" He sang.

"This son of a bitch was eavesdropping." Bucky hissed. The Winter Soldier was furious and (against his will) flustered. He aimed the business end of the butter knife to the man with his hand clenched tightly around the metal handle.

"Ey no need to get testy, I was right there you didn't see me." Wade exclaimed practically covering at his side of the table under the glow of Bucky's incensed staring.

"I notice everything shit head and you were eaves dropping." The former assassin growled.

"Okay fine I was eavesdropping." Deadpool admitted sheepishly.

"Can't help it man I am nosey as fuck. Tell em sweetheart." He insisted flirtatious and elbowed Joanna in the arm.

"He is nosey as fuck." She confirmed factually to Bucky and then looked to the man again.

"Now fuck off." She ordered.

"Love you too." Wade blew her a kiss and made a beeline out of the kitchen. Bucky exhaled heavily, relieved by the man's departure. He sat down roughly on his seat and gathered his sandwich into his hand with a deep scowl marring his face.

A silence fell on them but Bucky knew what questions hung in the air from the cheeky way Joanna watched him, he pretended not to notice and began to chew thoughtfully.

"Suppressing huh?" She asked slyly, leaning on to the table, moving closer to him. He sighed and looked to her to find her staring at him rather dotingly. He swallowed hard, not taking the time to savor the taste of his food. He felt his palm begin to sweat.

"You are not going to comment on the…boning bits?" He wondered cautiously.

"Deadpool and I have a tendency to embarrass ourselves, if I say anything I am just being hypocritical." She grinned fondly but then her lips curved down to a thin, serious line.

"You really believe you are suppressing your memories?" She questioned setting aside her unfinished bowl of cereal for the moment.

"It's a gut feeling." He replied

"You think so too." He was quick to observe.

"Yeah." She admitted.

"Why didn't you say anything?" He demanded, his meal was no longer a consequence.

"There is a reason why we suppress our memories hun, our mind is trying to protect us." She explained gently and picked up her dish once more. He watched her eat silently for a moment while chewing at the inside of his cheek.

"Feels like it's not the only one trying to protect me." He pointed out solemnly.

Joanna tensed at his remark and met his studying stare.

"Chuck—"

"I know." He cut in swiftly, silencing her ill prepared excuse. She steeled herself for another round of criticism and paranoia from the male. She knew it would be a while before he trusted her again, but she wished the arguments would stop.

"I get it."He added surprising her by the calm in his voice. She braved looking to him and he was watching her and the gentleness in his blue eyes made her stomach flutter.

"But trying to prevent something only makes it happen that much sooner." He stated gravely. She stared, struggling to find words. Bucky managed to form a trace of a smile, easing her immediately.

"Besides, the things I remember being around you isn't affecting me as negatively as you think so I figured, what the hell right?"

Bucky resumed eating oblivious to the whirlwind of emotions he had stirred within the unusually quiet Joanna.

* * *

James Buchanan Barnes was shoving his last rolled up t-shirt into his backpack. He zipped up the carrier and then gazed about his temporary residence. Despite having only spent less than a week within the bunker, he felt like he should treasure it somehow, as if he knew the blurry future will contain a bit more chaos.

Trying not to dwell on ominous thoughts he began collecting various weapons he had left incognito around the room. He had picked up his last drop point blade and placed it on the table when movement from the door caught his eye.

He glanced over to find Joanna had already crossed the threshold of his room with a tall glass of milk at hand. Silently she placed the drink on the surface of the table, just beside his backpack.

"Here." She had announced, her voice was oddly tight.

"What's this for?" He demanded with one dark winged brows raised in inquiry.

"I bought you a drink first."

"Before wha—" She kissed him.

Bucky was startled by the warmth of her lips on his. She pulled him closer, holding on to him by the edges of his coat. Her searing kiss seeped into him and he surprised himself by responding.

It was the easiest thing, like breathing.

He didn't know how but it felt like he had done this before, several times. He knew exactly where to place his hands, how to part his lips and kiss back. There were no flashing images, just a blank mind and a wild, beating heart.

He wrapped his arm around her waist and crushed her to his chest. She moaned he didn't know if he had hurt her or it was from the intensity, he didn't care, he needed her. He twisted them around till he had her caged beneath him. He pressed her back up against the edge of the table. She moved with him, her fingers buried into his hair, her leg fitting between his. They were locked against each other and their tongues met.

The sensation shot him straight to his heart. His mind was a mess of deep longing and an unquenchable thirst, for her. His hands drifted down the shape of her hips and to her thigh, his palm curved and then gripped her toned legs and brought them up to his hip. She rocked against him. The friction of their belted jeans put him on edge.

Things were moving too fast, he barely knew the women yet they acted like old lovers. He suddenly knew she liked it when he nibbled her lower lip. He sucked in her lower lip between his teeth and bit down, very gently. She gasped and then moaned in delight. The sound reverberated through him and straight to his groin.

Her hands wandered under his jacket and scratched over the surface of his t-shirt, down the tightness of his taut stomach.

He suddenly realized he had to breathe; his lungs were burning in retaliation. Her mouth left his before he made an attempt to stop. He watched her from behind his long lashes. Joanna was panting, her chest heaving at each rapid inhale; he eyed her cleavage slyly for a moment.

"Anything?" She asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

He met her dancing eyes, struggling to find words. Not trusting himself to speak coherently, he shook his head.

"Damn." She cursed, despite sounding disappointed she seemed more flushed. His hand immediately went up to her face, cupping her cheek in his hand. He thumbed the breadth of her blushing skin. Realizing what he had done he flinched, he awaited her reaction to be rejection.

She pressed into his touch, the act was unconscious, and she was immersed in her thoughts.

"I really thought that would work."She muttered mostly to herself, nibbling on her lower lip thoughtfully. His gaze on her darkened, he recalled not moments ago when he had a taste.

"It was super hot though, right?" She asked lightly. He gazed back, unsure what to say. Her stare dropped to his mouth and he waited wanting her to kiss him again.

What he didn't know was that she was hoping he would do the same.

"I think I am going to go get some fresh air." Jo announced slipping out from under him. Bucky felt his heart clench from how disappointed her tone was. He wanted to assure her in some form, grab her by the wrist and reel her in for another searing kiss, but she stepped back, forming distance between them.

"Let's head out when I get back." She insisted, turning her back to him and striding into the hallway.

"Alright." He managed to force out in agreement. She cast him one last lingering glance between turning at the heels of her boots and lazily exiting the room.

Bucky stared after her, tongue tied.

Joanna stared down at the white, cold, snow beneath her boots. She was gazing at the ice ground blankly, but her thoughts were a storm. She had her arms crossed tightly around her chest while taking deep, even breaths to warm herself

However, it was a strange sensation to feel terribly cold and unbelievably warm and tingly from her heated kiss with him earlier. Her stomach was knotted painfully, her heart was a fluttering mess.

 _Man all these years and he still kisses the same. At least that's consistent._

She smiled sadly to herself. Joanna had been torn and shaken over her beloved not recognising her. The uncertainty in his eyes still haunted her. _But he found me, he came for me...right?_

She hoped she wasn't being deluded, not after a kiss like that. The taste of him still lingered on her lips, her skin still felt the ghost of his mouth pressed passionately against hers, the deliciously soft bite he grazed her pout.

It took all she had not to take him up against that table, spread her legs and allowed him to ravish her. It was so easy back then, they wanted each other so fiercely, needed it more specifically. She was ecstatic that that fire still burned between them, sparking through their veins like electricity. But it was also terribly frustrating. Suddenly her nipples felt rigid from more than just the cold.

The sound of rubber tires crunching and rolling over ice grabbed her attention.

"Jo?" She had predicted he would have attempted to grab her notice. She turned away from her view of the endlessly tall trees and looked down to Jack.

He was watching her with his bright eyes glimmering in concern.

"You alright?" He asked with a gentle tilt of his head. Strands of his adorably blonde hair fell over his brow from beneath his grey beanie.

"Peachy." She grinned forcibly, but under his squinted questioning gaze, she fell sober.

She glanced away, chagrined.

"He always leaves me feeling..."

"Flustered?" He suggested, his voice soft and all knowing.

"Yeah." She sighed out in defeat, a chilly smoke left her lips.

"It happens." Jack grinned wheeling to her side.

"If it makes you feel any better I saw him bump into a door on his way out." He stated humorously with his padded elbows angled on the arm rests of his chair.

"That does actually." She laughed, her dark eyes twinkling in delight at the thought of a equally disoriented and flustered, Bucky Barnes.

"Were you spying or something?" She teased feeling much chipper.

"I just notice things." Jack said with an innocent shrug.

"Sure you—" Her still abruptly, her head snapped up in the direction of the sharp, fractious sound she had heard. It felt like it came from her left but she saw nothing but a stretch of trees.

"What is it?" Jack inquired noticing her sudden stern composure.

"Did you hear that?" She whispered to him after a moment. Her body relaxing thinking it maybe have been winged or a wild animal.

"What?" Jack demanded obviously having no clue to her concern. Jo's brows furrowed, the sound replaying in her mind.

She knew the sound well, having been someone who had caused it when using a grapple gun several times.

"It sounded like."

It happened again, the sharp screeching sound of two metals clashing, their friction pierced the air. The noise came from above and seized abruptly.

Jack cried out forcing her to whizz around. Jo didn't get a chance to react when a large man had embraced the young man tightly and reeled up into the sky.

"JACK!" Jo screamed out

"Now look at what Daddy caught, a cripple." The large man laughed out cruelly while restricting the arms of a struggling Jack. The mechanic was hardly effective, the man was twice as large and pressed a sharp knife to the young man's neck, threatening death if he did not desist.

It was a stranger with a smooth black mercenary mask that stood out with its faded, white paint that embodied a skull. He was suited thick and heavy with protective body armour that carried an ominous white mark in the shape of an 'X' across his chest.

Jo felt an immediate chill run down her spin at the sight of the mysterious man. The man had no electronic devices she could detect, she immediately deduced that he knew of her powers. He had grabbed Jack because it was easier and kept him at an advantage against her.

"Who the fuck are you?" She hissed her gun already out and aimed at him.

"Aw come on baby, can't you recognise your old fuck buddy?" The man's familiar, deep, muffled voice spoke out. She could hear the cynical grin in his words.

"I'll admit the mask does dampen my voice a little."

Her eyes widened in stunned realization.

"Brock." She breathed out in horrified disbelief.

"Crossbones, I am trying to get it to catch on." He uttered with a cocky little shift in his broad shoulders.

"Like a fucking STD?" Jo growled, her features morphed into a harsh scowl.

"Let him go, you son of a bitch." She ordered aiming the barrel of her gun to the man's head. Crossbones carefully adjusted his hostage's position by keeping a tight hold on the young man's neck. Jack seemed extremely terrified and uncomfortable, his limp legs dangled over the edge of the thick trunk.

"Are you sure?" Brock yelled out smugly.

"I mean this tree is at least fifteen feet high. How about a trade?"

"I got nothing you need." Jo grumbled.

"Of course you do. That big brain of yours" He laughed. "I've been trying to get in to your little love hut for the past few hours. The idiot in the red suit led me right to you guys. As valuable as you are, I wanted to kill a bigger fish but if I walk in there it's a death trap isn't it? So I might as well do the smart thing."

It didn't take a rocket scientist to solve Brock's little "bigger fish" code. She knew he meant Winters and that made her all the more infuriated, but her stomach weighed with fear. They knew of him and it wouldn't be long till they hunted them down. They had already sent Brock. She knew how deep Hydra's roots ran, she felt naive thinking she could be ignorant to them.

"Do you always monologue your plans out loud? It doesn't make for a very successful criminal." Jo sneered.

"Right." From his sardonic huff she knew he was rolling his eyes at her.

"I'm the criminal. Miss Jane Fitzgerald. Or is it the Interface now?"

 _The name sounds even shittier when he said it._

"Enough foreplay." She growled her gaze dropping to the shivering Jack.

"Let him down and ill turn myself in." She vowed, her voice tight and her gaze cold. He eyed her and her weapon disbelievingly. Her scowl deepened, the grip she had on the butt of her gun, tightened stubbornly until finally, her fingers relaxed in submission.

Brock grinned cruelly behind his mask as she tossed the weapon to a lengthy distance.

"Great, that is all I wanted." Brock held on to Jack tightly and abruptly jumped down from the tree. Joanna gasped instinctively, not expecting the sudden move, her pulse galloped as she watched him descend to the ground with the help of that same, strong wire.

Crossbones still held Jack uncomfortably tightly around the chest and pressed back to his side. He returned to pressing the barrel of his gun to the disabled man's head.

"What?" He questioned under the glower of Joanna's incensed look.

"Did you think I was going to let him down without any company? That's a little rude."

Brock was about to release Jack's limp body onto the ground when Joanna stepped up.

"On the fucking chair, Jackass." She hissed.

Crossbones hesitated, rolled his eyes and looked to the abandoned chair that still remained upright behind him. He dragged a struggling Jack by the collar and tossed him rudely onto the seat. The chair rolled back and inch from the impact and Jack hissed through his teeth at the pain that shot up his mid back.

"Comfortable?" Brock questioned tauntingly. The young, aggravated Jack aimed a ferocious look up at the villain.

"Fuck you." He spat.

Jack's head snapped to the side from the hard blow of Brock's clenched, leather fist. Blood sprayed out from the man's lips and stained the virgin white snow.

Joanna pounced like a rabid wolf.

"You Mother—"

Her incensed words came to a sudden halt when Brock swiftly aimed his gun to her forehead, stilling her raging thoughts and venomous tongue.

"Hey now." He cooed. "Let's not drag her into this."

Joanna's heart was racing with the urge to maim the mad man before her. She clenched her fists tightly to suppress her anger and turned her attention to Jack. He was bleeding at the nose, the red liquid was evident against his pale skin and his eyes were glossed over from the pain.

She wanted to help him, but the guilt of her helplessness weighed in her stomach, causing her rage to swirl wildly within her.

Joanna snapped out of her thoughts when she was roughly shoved forward. She wheeled around wanting to punch the man straight across the jaw, but the presence of the gun kept her chained to her self control.

"Come on. our ride is waiting." He announced merrily and forced her to march. She trudged reluctantly past Jack. She kept staring at him until she was dragged out of his view.

 **So I burned myself to break that damn fourth wall T_T. It was worth it though. Review please? x**


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